HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Cleaning Staff

Frank Doran: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make a statement on the progress being made in settling the dispute between the House's cleaning contractors and their employees.

Nick Harvey: I am pleased to report that a settlement has now been reached in the dispute between the House's principal cleaning contractors, MITIE, and their employees. I understand that this involves an increase from 1 March in the basic hourly rate of pay to £6.10. Employees will be entitled to 20 days paid holiday, plus the eight statutory holidays, and five days sick pay after a standard qualifying period. There will be a further rise in the basic rate in October 2006. The two parties have agreed to work together within the terms of the current contract to seek to identify further efficiency savings acceptable to the parliamentary authorities, with the aim of funding a further rise in the basic hourly rate to £6.70 an hour in 2007.
	Variations in the detailed specification of services have been agreed in order to allow the necessary efficiency gains to be made to fund the increases in wage rates. The basic terms of the contract remain unchanged.

Computer Systems (Hackers)

Harry Cohen: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the nature was of the attack by hackers reported to have taken place before Christmas on the House's computer systems; what investigation has taken place into where the attack came from; what the result was of that investigation; what the extent was of the attack; and what measures have been taken to prevent further such attacks.

Nick Harvey: As a matter of policy the Commission does not comment on specific matters relating to ICT security.

PRIME MINISTER

Beef

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Prime Minister how much Brazilian beef was procured for use at 10 Downing Street in the last year for which figures are available.

Tony Blair: This information is not held centrally. However, there is a requirement for caterers used by my Office to seek to increase opportunities for local producers to compete to supply food to the public sector.

Freedom of Information Act

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister what total sum has been received by his Office for the provision of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in its first year of operation.

Tony Blair: Nil.

Wilson Doctrine

Vincent Cable: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether the Wilson doctrine applies to (a) Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) (i) UK and (ii) non-UK members of the European Parliament;
	(2)  whether the Wilson doctrine applies to Members of (a) the Welsh Assembly and (b) the Scottish Parliament;
	(3)  what discussions he has had on the right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to a possible suspension of the Wilson doctrine;
	(4)  what discussions have taken place regarding the suspension of the Wilson doctrine on interception of parliamentary communications;
	(5)  whether the Wilson doctrine has been updated to apply to internet activity;
	(6)  whether the Wilson doctrine applies to (a) communications traffic data and (b) the interception of postal services.

Tony Blair: I have nothing further to add to my written ministerial statement, 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 173WS and my answers at Prime Minister's Questions on 18 and 25 January.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Administrative Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the administration costs of (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms using 2004–05 prices since 1996–97, broken down by business area; what the forecast is for each of the next two years; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the Department of Social Security and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment including the Employment Service. Therefore it is not possible to provide information prior to 2001–02.
	Information on departmental administration costs in resource terms, including future plans, is published on an annual basis in the Department's Departmental Report, which can be found in the Libraries of the House. The 2005 Departmental Report was published in June 2005 (Cm 6539).

Asbestos

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will (a) remove the provisions relating to textured coatings from the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and (b) conduct a separate consultation on this proposal.

Anne McGuire: Following consultation on proposed amendments to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 undertaken by the Health and Safety Commission, it will consider whether any changes are necessary to the proposals relating to asbestos containing textured decorative coatings. The Commission will also decide whether any further consultation is necessary before advising Ministers on any changes to the regulations.

Asbestos

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that no further changes will be made to (a) the licensing of other asbestos materials and (b) removal techniques without parliamentary scrutiny.

Anne McGuire: All regulations recommended to Ministers from the Health and Safety Commission are subject to negative resolution in Parliament—the same will apply for the proposed amendments to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations—there will be no changes before this takes place.

Asbestos

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Health and Safety Executive's proposals for asbestos removal are more applicable to the demolition industry than other parts of the construction industry.

Anne McGuire: The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations apply to the removal of all asbestos, including, where necessary, prior to demolition. Where removal of an asbestos containing material is necessary, the same precautions and control measures are required as are applicable to all industries.

Asbestos

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will apply the Health and Safety Executive's proposals relating to the removal of textured coatings containing asbestos only to demolition work.

Anne McGuire: The Health and Safety Commission will advise on amendments to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations, including any proposals relating to the removal of asbestos containing decorative coatings, following an analysis of the responses received to the consultation.

Building Site Employees

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implications for health and safety on building sites of the recruitment of employees from Eastern Europe.

Anne McGuire: Migrant workers, including those from Eastern Europe, have a vital role to play in providing skills and in filling labour shortages in the UK construction industry. Many are experienced trades people and some enter the workforce through the highly skilled migrant programme.
	The Health and Safety Executive has commissioned research, completed this month, to assess the significance of nationality as a health and safety risk factor among construction workers in London and the South East. The research found no evidence of additional risk.
	The duty to manage health and safety risk factors on individual construction sites, where communication barriers or differences in health and safety culture may be issues, rests with the employer. The construction industry and the Health and Safety Executive have already taken action to develop guidance to help employers to discharge their responsibilities effectively.

Building Site Employees

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are being taken to monitor the safety of building sites where a high proportion of workers from EU accession states are employed.

Anne McGuire: The Health and Safety Executive monitors the health and safety risks to all workers and does not discriminate in its actions on any grounds, including nationality.
	Monitoring of the construction industry more generally is carried out partly through research and the most recent report, completed this month, found no link between increased health and safety risk and nationality.
	Other monitoring is carried out through a new Health and Safety Executive Omnibus survey that began in 2005. It provides data on construction industry characteristics (including information about the nationality of the workforce) as well as its accident and ill-health profile. This data will assist with future monitoring and assessment of risk.
	Site inspections also provide intelligence that allows the Health and Safety Executive to monitor the safety of building sites and to support employers in fulfilling their duties where sites are employing a large proportion of migrant workers. The Health and Safety Executive has recently undertaken a project to increase awareness of good health and safety practices amongst London's Polish community through a presentation and the provision of Polish language written guidance.
	In addition, HSE has provided translations of basic construction health and safety guidance in 20 languages.

Buncefield Oil Depot

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether there have been changes to the guidance from the Health and Safety Executive to local authority planning departments since the Buncefield oil depot fire; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 2 February 2006
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises local planning authorities about risks from major hazard sites and their potential effects on developments nearby. HSE and the Environment Agency have commenced a thorough investigation into the explosions and fire at Buncefield oil depot on 11 December 2005 and will make a special report in due course. The terms of reference of the investigation include establishing the root causes of the incident and making recommendations for future action to ensure the effective management and regulation of major accident risks at such sites.

Child Support Agency

Jim Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external consultants were used by the Child Support Agency in 2005; and at what cost.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Friend with the information requested.
	Letter from Mr Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 February 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many external consultants were used by the Child Support Agency in 2005; and at what cost.
	Overall during the calendar year 1st January 2005 to 31st December 2005 34 consultants working for 6 separate companies have worked for the Child Support Agency and Child Support Reform project. The total cost of external consultants to the Child Support Agency and Child Support Reform project recorded on the Agency accounting system for the calendar year was £1,677,258. These consultants provided services and expertise which did not already exist within the Agency.
	I hope you find this useful.

Child Support Agency

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many outstanding Child Support Agency applications from people in (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire were received more than (i) six months and (ii) 12 months ago; and what percentage of the total number of such applications each figure represents.

James Plaskitt: This information is not available at the geographical level requested.

Child Support Agency

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases in (a) Hertfordshire and (b) St. Albans were in arrears in each year between 1997 and 2005.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) on 14 December 2005, Official Report, column 1985W.

Civil Servants

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of each civil service grade in his Department is located in each (a) region and (b) nation of the UK; what the average salary is for each grade; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Cabinet Office will write to the hon. Member with details for the civil service of the percentage of staff in post by region and grade responsibility and the median salary of staff in post by region and grade responsibility as at 1 April 2004. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Departmental Research Reports

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on (a) internally and (b) externally commissioned research reports in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The Department's expenditure on externally commissioned research is given in the following table. The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001, therefore figures have been provided from the financial year 2001–02 onwards. Costs of internal research are not available.
	
		
			 Financial year Expenditure (£ million) 
		
		
			 2001–02 11. 8 
			 2002–03 10.2 
			 2003–04 12.5 
			 2004–05 14.2

Departmental Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff are employed by his Department in each (a) region and (b) nation of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The information requested is published in Civil Service Statistics. Table D of this publication covers permanent staff numbers (Full-Time Equivalent) in each Department and agency.
	Civil Service Statistics are available in the Library and at the following address on the Cabinet Office website: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_servi ce/statistics/civil_service_statistics/index.asp

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the overall expenditure on incapacity benefits was, including severe disablement allowance and income support on the grounds of incapacity (a) on the grounds of mental and behavioural disorders and (b) in total, in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: Information for income support expenditure is not available broken down by diagnoses. For the expenditure on incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance, I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave on 30 January 2006, Official Report, column 251W.

Internal Audit Recommendations

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2018W, on internal audit recommendations, when he plans to place these in the Library.

Anne McGuire: The Department's review of its internal audit recommendations, Internal Audit Recommendations 2002–05 (06/011), was placed in the Library of the House on 23 December 2005. The only exceptions to this will be those recommendations where there is specific commercial or policy reason not to make the information available and those recommendations already placed in the Library on 22 March 2005 for the Child Support Agency.

Jobcentre Plus

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the Jobcentre Plus offices which (a) closed and (b) have had reductions in opening times of over one day per week since 1 January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking if he will list the Jobcentre Plus offices which (a) closed and (b) have had reductions in opening times of over one day per week since 1st January 2005. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive.
	It may help if I first explain that the majority of our Jobcentre Plus offices are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday-Friday. There will however be occasions when we adjust our opening hours to meet the demand for our services. For instance, during January many of our services were open for longer than their usual hours, including weekends, to ensure that we maintained customer service and benefit processing during some of our busiest times.
	In some circumstances, we do also take the decision to reduce the number of hours that some of our Jobcentre Plus offices remain open. This may be appropriate where we deliver some services from other premises in the area and need to fit with their opening hours. Elsewhere we will reduce opening hours if demand does not warrant full opening hours. We of course keep office opening hours under regular review to ensure we give a good service to our clients.
	Our modernisation programme is opening up new ways for clients to access and use our services. For instance, customers are now able to receive advice on jobs and benefits over the telephone and on the internet. These improvements do enable us to look more flexibly at the service we deliver through our Jobcentre Plus offices.
	Creating Jobcentre Plus out of two separate services has enabled us to rationalise our outlets and so far, 130 offices are no longer required. 36 offices have reduced their hours in response to customer demand. The information on sites specifically affected has been placed in the Library.
	I must apologise as we were previously unable to provide this information, specifically in response to your earlier Parliamentary Question (PQ 18416).

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) customer satisfaction surveys and (b) results of mystery shopper exercises conducted since 2001 for (i) Jobcentre Plus, (ii) the Pension Service, (iii) the Child Support Agency and (iv) the Disability and Carers Service.

Anne McGuire: Jobcentre Plus was created in April 2002 bringing together the former Employment Service and those parts of the former Benefits Agency delivering services to working age people.
	There have been three quantitative national Jobcentre Plus customer satisfaction surveys completed since 2002. The reports for each survey, Jobcentre Plus National Customer Satisfaction Survey 2003, 2004, and 2005, are available in the Library, together with a national qualitative customer satisfaction survey that was undertaken during 2003, Jobcentre Plus Customer Satisfaction 2003: Findings from Qualitative Research.
	Copies of the Jobcentre Plus Mystery Shopping National Reports for 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 have been placed in the Library.
	The Pension Service was created in April 2002 to deliver services to those over sixty years of age.
	A customer satisfaction survey for the Pension Service was conducted in 2003. The report for this survey is available in the Library. A further survey was undertaken in 2005. The results are due to be published in 2006; copies of the report will be placed in the Library.
	Mystery Shopping, which provides an independent assessment of service delivery, was introduced in the Pension Service in April 2004. The results are used for internal improvement actions and are weighted according to pensioners' customer priorities. Copies of the Pension Service mystery shopping results for 2003–04 and the first three quarters of 2005–06 have been placed in the Library.
	The Child Support Agency has not conducted any national customer satisfaction surveys or mystery shopper exercises since 2001.
	The Disability and Carers Service conducted a customer survey in 2003–04. A copy of the disability and carers service—customer service survey 2003–04—final report has been placed in the Library.
	The Disability and Carers Service does not use mystery shopping, but has its own internal measurement checks known as Measurement of Customer Service (MCS). Copies of the annual reports of MCS results for 2004–05, 2003–04 and 2002–03 have been placed in the Library.

TRANSPORT

A21 Upgrade

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role (a) the South East England Development Agency, (b) the South East England regional assembly, (c) the Highways Agency, (d) the Environment Agency and (e) local councils will have in plans for an upgrade to the A21 in East Sussex.

Stephen Ladyman: The South East Regional Transport Board, which includes representatives from the South East England Development Agency, the Highways Agency, South East England regional assembly officers and nominated local authority representatives, has recently provided advice to Government on the timing and funding of schemes to upgrade the A21 in East Sussex as part of its overall advice on priorities for major transport schemes. The Environment Agency is one of four statutory environmental bodies which advise Government on the environmental impacts of road improvements. Upgrade schemes which are approved for funding would be promoted and delivered by the Highways Agency.

British Transport Companies (Overseas Competition)

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to help British transport companies to compete with foreign counterparts.

Stephen Ladyman: Some sectors of the road haulage industry face challenges arising from increasing foreign competition and we are working closely with industry in a joint task group to develop understanding of this and other issues of concern.
	We are also keen to help companies become more efficient, not least because benefits such as lower fuel consumption and reduced empty running also help with wider Government objectives to reduce pollution and congestion. This is why, for several years, we have been running a best practice programme that helps operators to apply good operating practices.

Citizens Juries

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions his Department consulted citizens' juries on departmental policies in the last five years; in how many of those consultations the recommendations of the citizens' jury differed from existing departmental policy; and on how many occasions departmental policy was changed to reflect the recommendations of the citizens' jury.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport has not used citizens' juries in so far as records show. The department is committed to developing policies which meet the needs of all. As such, the department consults widely with transport users, often targeting directly users with specific transport needs or hard to reach groups.

Congestion (EU Support)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which regions he expects will receive support from the EU's Sixth Environmental Action Programme to deal with congestion; and what the nature of the support will be in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department will contribute to the objectives and priorities in the EU's Sixth Environmental Action Programme through its Public Service Agreement target for urban roads. This states that, by 2010–11, the 10 largest urban areas will meet the congestion targets set in their Local Transport Plans. Local authorities in all regions are working to finalise their strategies to tackle congestion, and will include them in their Local Transport Plans due to be published in March 2006. Targets consistent with these strategies will be set by July.

Departmental Entertaining

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on entertaining in each month since June.

Karen Buck: The following table provides a breakdown of the total for each month where this is available.
	
		
			  DfT (Centre) DSA (Driving Standards Agency) 
		
		
			 June 20.22 3,174.86 
			 July 841.29 0 
			 August 106.59 263.88 
			 September 566.76 72.86 
			 October 165.70 0 
			 November 265.70 1,000.00

Departmental Expenditure

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on bottled water in 2004–05.

Karen Buck: The cost of providing water coolers and bottled water at meetings cannot be separated without disproportionate cost. A total of sanitisation costs of some of £146,595 was spent on these two costs around 1,000 DfT central and agency sites. This includes the maintenance, servicing and the water coolers at DfT regional sites. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency do not record the purchase of bottled water separately from other refreshments and cannot confirm the amount spent without disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many disciplinary actions against civil servants employed in his Department (a) were commenced and (b) resulted in a sanction being applied in each of the last five years.

Karen Buck: Since the establishment of the Department for Transport in May 2002, the number of employees against whom disciplinary action commenced; and those which resulted in a sanction being applied is as follows:
	
		
			 Disciplinary action commenced  
		
		
			 2002: 15 
			 2003: 58 
			 2004: 83 
			 2005: 86 
			   
			 Disciplinary action resulting in a sanction 
			 2002: 14 
			 2003: 57 
			 2004: 80 
			 2005: 67 
		
	
	The Department has procedures in place to deal with misconduct, unsatisfactory performance or attendance. The normal penalty for gross misconduct is dismissal. The procedures are published in our internal Staff Handbook that is readily available to staff.

Digital Tachographs

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timescale for the introduction of EU regulations relating to digital tachographs; and within what time period (a) private companies and (b) individuals will be required to comply with the new regulations.

Stephen Ladyman: New EU regulations on drivers' hours, which include a revised mandatory fitting date for digital tachographs, were recently agreed by the Council and the European Parliament.
	The new regulations will require the operators and drivers of certain heavy goods and public service vehicles to use digital tachographs in any such vehicles put into service for the first time from a date 20 days after formal publication of the new regulations.
	The Council and Parliament have indicated that they will make every effort to ensure that the new regulations are published in the Official Journal of the European Union in April this year.
	Consequently, digital tachographs should become mandatory for all new in-scope vehicles from early May 2006.
	Changes to the drivers' hours rules themselves will enter into force one year after publication.

Freedom of Information

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total sum has been received by his Department for the provision of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in its first year of operation.

Karen Buck: Department for Transport along with other central Departments is currently participating in a monitoring exercise to record the costs of responding to all FOI requests received during the week commencing 30 January 2006.
	This survey will be completed on 20 March and is intended to reveal actual costs of handling FOI cases, and particularly the activities where most cost is incurred.

Heathrow Airport

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the public consultation on mixed-mode at Heathrow airport will (a) start and (b) finish.

Karen Buck: We expect to consult later this year. Consultation will be in line with the Cabinet Office code of practice on public consultations which requires a minimum period of 12 weeks for responses.

Jewish Festivals

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department did to (a) celebrate Hanukkah and (b) mark Yom Kippur in 2005.

Karen Buck: The Department celebrated Hanukkah and marked Yom Kippur in 2005 through advertisement of the occasions in a multi-cultural calendar accessible to all staff.
	There were articles about the occasions in the in-house magazines of two the Department's Executive Agencies: the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
	The Department aims to increase staff awareness of faith and cultural issues through a range of activities that include the publication of information and guidelines.
	Staff may take at any time one and a half days of their annual entitlement to two and a half days privilege leave. The one and a half days were customarily known as Christmas and Maundy Thursday. The flexibility is designed to enable staff to take the time suitable to their faith or convictions.
	Staff must obtain their line manager's prior approval for taking their privilege leave on any particular dates but any requests will only be refused for exceptional operational reasons and will at all times be considered in the context of the right of staff to Equal Opportunity and their rights under relevant legislation.

London Mainline Terminals

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what capital sums have been spent on each mainline terminal railway station in London in each year since 1997, broken down by source of capital; and what capital sums are planned to be spent on each such station in each year between 2005–06 and 2007–08, broken down by source of capital.

Derek Twigg: This is an operational matter for Network Rail (NR). I have asked NR to write directly to the hon. Member.

M1 (Accidents)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving the closure of the M1 motorway in (a) either and (b) both directions between junctions 1 and 32 have occurred in (i) 2001, (ii) 2004 and (iii) 2005.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 6 February 2006
	The figures supplied in the following table relate solely to full carriageway closures in each direction, or full closure of the M1 motorway in both directions. There have been a number of incidents on the M1 motorway, for the periods in question, that have not involved full closure of carriageways in either direction or full closure of the M1 motorway in both directions. These figures have not been provided.
	Figures for 2001 have been given where the information is readily available. Further figures for 2001 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Number of accidents involving the closure of the M1 motorway between junctions 1 and 32
		
			  North South Full closure 
		
		
			 2001 6 1 — 
			 2004 29 22 4 
			 2005 28 22 5

M180

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons over six miles of the M180 motorway has the outside lane closed in both directions; why the maintenance work being carried out was not restricted to a shorter stretch to avoid congestion; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: A nine mile stretch of the M180 between junctions 3 and 4 has lane closures, a contraflow and a 50 mph speed limit in place in both directions to carry out essential safety improvements. These improvements include low noise resurfacing, installation of a new concrete central reserve barrier and to carry out drainage and maintenance work. The Highways Agency is undertaking the works as one scheme to reduce its duration on site, thereby minimising disruption and risk to the road user, as well as making it safer for roadworkers. It also provides better value for money, as it is less expensive than a number of smaller schemes.
	Traffic flows have been monitored since the scheme commenced on 16 January and delays of no more than 10 minutes have been experienced at the busiest times.

National Trust (Road Scheme Objections)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list road schemes objected to by the National Trust in cases where the Trust has invoked special parliamentary procedures; and what the outcome was in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: Our records over the last 20 years show that the Secretary of State has not invoked the special parliamentary procedure to get a compulsory purchase order made that related to land held inalienably by the National Trust on any road scheme.

Peterborough City Council (Road Budget)

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding from his Department Peterborough city council unitary authority has received for its road budget in each year since 1997.

Karen Buck: The funding support provided directly to Peterborough city council unitary authority through the local transport capital settlement for each year is shown in the following table. It has been for Peterborough city council unitary authority to decide how that allocation was spent in line with their local transport plans and their priorities.
	The Department does not have the data for the years 1997–98 as Peterborough was not a highway authority and allocations for the area were made to the county councils then responsible.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Peterborough city council unitary authority 2005–06 2004–05 2003–04 2002–03 2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 
		
		
			 Integrated Transport Block 1.900 2.187 2.196 2.000 2.000 0.900 0.640 0.330 
			 Capital Highways Maintenance 3.749 4.227 1.834 1.843 1.765 1.082 0.961 0.619 
			 Major Schemes 0 0 0 0.037 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 5.649 6.414 4.030 3.880 3.765 1.982 1.601 0.949 
		
	
	Emergency funding of £2.2 million was also made available to Peterborough city council in 2003–04 for the repair of roads damaged by drought.
	In addition central funding support for services, including routine highways services, is provided by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister through revenue support grant. This is not allocated by the Government between individual council services.

Press Coverage

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions since 1 April 2003 he has complained to the Press Complaints Commission about the coverage in the press of (a) Ministers or officials and (b) his Department; and how many of these complaints were upheld.

Karen Buck: We have not made any complaints about the press coverage of Ministers, officials or the Department to the Press Complaints Commission since 1 April 2003.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train operating companies applied for revenue support following the bombings in London in July 2005; what the value of those claims was; and how much money has been awarded to each as a result.

Derek Twigg: Two companies have applied for revenue support following the London bombings. Negotiations are continuing with the companies concerned but no amounts have yet been agreed or paid.

Railways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times during the last two years passengers on the Swindon to Cheltenham line have (a) been diverted to coaches and (b) have been required to wait for the next train following a missed connection the fault for which lies with the train operator.

Derek Twigg: These are matters for the train operators concerned. Figures are not kept by the Department.

Railways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the procedures are for Network Rail to give notice of maintenance works, with particular reference to the Great Western line; and how much notice is required to be given to the train operating companies.

Derek Twigg: Under condition 9 of its network licence, Network Rail is required to plan their engineering work, provide information about this work to train operators, and to manage the resulting revisions to the national timetable at least 12 weeks in advance of operation (T-12). The procedures apply to planned engineering works across the whole of Network Rail's network, including the Great Western line. Where it is necessary to carry out emergency engineering works, the notice given may be much shorter.

Railways

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much capital expenditure in the railways has been made by (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector since 2000; and on what projects the capital expenditure has been spent.

Derek Twigg: Investment in the rail industry (National Rail) since 2000–01 is set out in table 6.4 of National Rail Trends copies of which, are in the Libraries of the House. Total investment since 2000–01 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			  Total investment Of which rolling stock 
		
		
			 2000–01 2,404 554 
			 2001–02 3,148 922 
			 2002–03 3,756 566 
			 2003–04 4,722 774 
			 2004–05 (1)3,538 (1)1,923 
		
	
	(1) Provisional
	Of that investment the Government made direct grants to Railtrack plc/Network Rail and London and Continental Railways relating to investment on infrastructure undertaken by those companies as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			   Railtrack plc/Network Rail London and Continental Railways 
		
		
			 2000–01 0 0 
			 2001–02 499 185 
			 2002–03 792 374 
			 2003–04 1,448 222 
		
	
	The remaining investment was undertaken by the private sector. Investment in rolling stock is noted in the table above. A detailed breakdown of the remaining private investment is not available as it is collected by the Office for National Statistics on a confidential basis. That said the unprecedented levels of public and private investment is delivering significant improvements in the railway including:
	the Channel Tunnel Rail Link,
	upgrading of the West Coast Main Line,
	the TPWS programme to tackle accidents at signals,
	modernising the power supply south of the Thames, and
	renewing around 900 km of rail this year.

Railways

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway stations (a) have obtained secure station status, (b) had secure status withdrawn and (c) not sought secure station reaccreditation in the latest period for which figures are available.

Karen Buck: Since the launch of the secure stations scheme in 1998 a total of 323 rail stations, including 49 London Underground stations, have been accredited under the scheme. Of these a total of 83 rail stations, including 48 London Underground stations, have not, so far, sought re-accreditation. No stations have had their secure status withdrawn since the scheme's launch.
	A list of accredited stations has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures his Department has taken to reduce the risk of road vehicles obstructing railway tracks.

Derek Twigg: The Department participates in the National Level Crossing Safety Group, which supports research by the Rail Safety and Standards Board and Network Rail into ways of reducing incidents at level crossings.
	The Health and Safety Executive's HM Rail Inspectorate ensure on a case-by-case basis that individual level crossings are compliant with health and safety legislation, that essential safety standards are being met and risks are controlled. Specific control measures to reduce the risk of road vehicles obstructing railway tracks include; the provision of road markings, traffic lights and signage, level crossing notices and specific guidance within the highway code.

Railways

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the size of the Network Rail discretionary fund for (a) 2006–07 and (b) 2007–08.

Derek Twigg: The Network Rail discretionary fund (NRDF) is an arrangement whereby Network Rail will spend a total of £200 million up to the end of the current regulatory control period in March 2009 on smaller enhancements and improvements to the rail network. The amount spent is nominally £50 million in each financial year.

Regulatory Reform Orders

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many regulatory reform orders his Department has laid before Parliament in each of the last five calendar years.

Karen Buck: Since it was established in May 2002 the Department has laid one Regulatory Reform Order before Parliament. The Regulatory Reform (Public Services Vehicles) Order 2005 was laid for first stage scrutiny in November 2005.

Road Building Projects (South-east)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the South East England Regional Assembly Regional Transport Board's advice on priorities for road building projects in the South East.

Stephen Ladyman: On 31 January the Government received the South East region's advice on funding priorities. Prior to receiving the advice, we received various representations relevant to the region's prioritisation exercise.

Road Pricing

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has conducted into the merits of the introduction of a road pricing system through (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Research undertaken for the Feasibility Study of Road Pricing in the UK, published by the Department for Transport in July 2004, showed that a national road pricing scheme could potentially reduce congestion by some 40 per cent. with benefits of up to £12 billion a year in time savings and increased reliability. But moving to a national system of road pricing would be a huge and complex task. That is why the study recommended that local or regional schemes should be used to pilot approaches to road pricing. A copy of the study report has been placed in the Library.
	The Government are working with local authorities to develop a major pilot in the next four to five years. Because the development of these schemes will be a complex undertaking the Government has made £18 million of pump priming funding available between 2005–06 and 2007–08 to help support the work of local authorities in developing local demand management schemes. The first allocation to seven areas was announced on 28 November 2005, Official Report, columns 3–4WS.

Road Projects

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list road improvement projects which are behind schedule; and what the reasons are in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency has 17 major projects either currently on site, or which have received approval to proceed to construction. 15 of these are on schedule, in line with the timetable planned at approval to proceed to construction stage, and two are behind schedule.
	The schemes behind schedule are the A14 Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction and the M1 J6A-10 Widening. In the case of A14 Rookery Crossroads, the original completion date of mid December has slipped due to the complexity of the traffic management arrangements during the scheme construction. With the Ml J6A-10 Widening a review of the costs and agreement of a target cost with the appointed contractor has taken longer than anticipated, delaying the full start of works. Advance works have, however, commenced on schedule.
	For local highway schemes, delivery timescales and the reasons for any slippage are a matter for the promoting local authority.

St. Pancras Thameslink

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the meeting of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with the hon. Members for North Bedfordshire, North-East and St Albans (Anne Main) on 15 September 2005, whether he is in a position to state when the St Pancras Thameslink box will be fully fitted out.

Derek Twigg: Department for Transport is continuing to work with stakeholders to determine if there is a robust route to deliver the fit out in advance of the Thameslink 2000 Project at a price that offers acceptable value for money. I would expect to make a more detailed statement in due course

Transport Demand Research

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has (a) conducted and (b) evaluated on the relationship between economic growth and (i) rail passenger demand, (ii) demand for air travel and (iii) road investment programmes; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: The Department has not conducted or evaluated specific research into the relationship between economic growth and rail passenger demand as estimates are made by the rail industry. These estimates are, however, used in the Department's National Transport Model, information on which can be found on the DfT website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_econappr/documents/page/dft_econappr_610556.pdf
	In May 2000, the Department published Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom 2000". This internal piece of work provided forecasts over the period to 2020 and used econometric methods to assess the contribution of factors, including economic growth, to determine air traffic growth. This can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/page/dft_aviation_503314–01.hcsp#P38_1015
	In 1996 the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Appraisal (SACTRA) was asked by the then Secretary of State for Transport to consider the effects on the performance of the economy which might be caused by transport projects and policies, including new infrastructure, changing prices, demand management and measures to reduce traffic. This report can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_econappr/documents/page/dft_econappr_610277.hcsp

Transport Expenditure

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on (a) road works and (b) (i) road resurfacing and (ii) resurfacing noisy concrete road surfaces in each region since May 2002; and what projections his Department has for spending on each category of expenditure in each region over the next three years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is responsible for highway maintenance on the strategic road network in England.
	The Highways Agency's expenditure on road maintenance since 2002–03 is set out in the following table. They do not routinely record this information by region. The expenditure on renewal of roads is also shown in the table. Road resurfacing work is contained within the budget for renewal of roads which also funds other expenditure such as street lighting, drainage and safety fencing.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Outturn Budget 
			 Funding category 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Maintenance 796 726 732 827 
			 of which: 
			 Renewal of roads 280 254 285 341 
			 Resurfacing of concrete roads 50 78 34 (2)29 
		
	
	(2) year to date
	Note:
	Forecasts for future years are not available
	A separate regional analysis of historic expenditure on resurfacing concrete roads with quieter surfacing has been carried out, and is set out in the following table. The amounts vary between region and from year-to-year, depending on the specific projects which have been identified for resurfacing due to a safety or maintenance need.
	
		
			 Region Expenditure (£ million) 
		
		
			 2002–03  
			 North 2 
			 East 20 
			 South East 26 
			 South West 2 
			   
			 2003–04  
			 North 4 
			 East 46 
			 South East 8 
			 East Midlands 4 
			 West Midlands 7 
			 South West 9 
			   
			 2004–05  
			 East 17 
			 South East 4 
			 East Midlands 8 
			 South West 5 
			   
			 2005–061  
			 North 7 
			 East Midlands 4 
			 South East 17 
			 South West 1 
		
	
	(3) year to date
	Highway maintenance on local roads in England is the responsibility of each local highways authority. My Department provides funding to local authorities in England and outside London for capital highway maintenance through the local transport settlement. The funding made since 2002 is shown as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 Capital maintenance 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 
		
		
			 North East 36.120 35.878 47.095 44.170 44.165 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 68.038 67.848 85.425 76.588 84.625 
			 West Midlands 65.552 66.545 75.357 82.105 82.908 
			 East Midlands 61.427 62.463 68.918 65.178 68.380 
			 Eastern 73.293 69.601 83.947 91.119 87.856 
			 South West 82.343 83.194 96.103 107.685 116.804 
			 South East 79.986 91.599 100.533 105.008 102.315 
			 North West 92.085 88.872 93.059 88.144 84.819 
			 Total 558.844 566.000 650.437 659.997 671.872 
		
	
	Indicative allocations for capital maintenance by local authority and region for the period 2006–07 to 2010–11 were published in December 2004. These can be found on the Department's website www.dft.gov.uk in the document entitled Provisional Planning Guidelines for Local Transport Capital: 2006–07 to 2010–11".
	Funding for local authority capital highway maintenance is not ring fenced. It is for the local authorities to decide how such funding is spent in line with their priorities, across the whole range of services that they provide.
	In addition, revenue provision is made to local authorities in England but outside London, by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for highway maintenance through the local authorities' Formula for Standard Spending (FSS). ODPM publish information on local authority outturn expenditure annually, including data on highway maintenance. Information for 2002–03 and 2003–04 can be found on the ODPM website www.local.odpm.gov.uk. Information on later years has not yet been published.
	Highway maintenance funding in London is the responsibility of the London Mayor.

Transport Innovation Fund

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Transport Innovation Fund.

Karen Buck: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 26 January 2006, Official Report, columns 66–67WS, and the paper Transport Innovation Fund: Guidance—January 2006" published on that date.

Transport Staff (Alcohol/Drug Tests)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) aircraft crew, (b) air traffic controllers and (c) aircraft maintenance engineers have been tested for (i) drugs and (ii) alcohol since 2001; and what proportion have been found to be above the legal limit.

Karen Buck: Under part 5 of the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003, it is an offence for defined personnel to perform an aviation or ancillary function when their ability to do so is impaired through drink or drugs. The Act came into force in March 2004. It also set a prescribed blood/alcohol limit for safety critical personnel in aviation. Responsibility for testing personnel under the Act for the effects of drugs and alcohol rests with the local police force. These statistics are not collated nationally.
	However, statistics provided to us by the Home Office show that in 2004 two defendants were proceeded against and found guilty of this offence.

Violent Offences (Public Transport)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many victims of violent offences on public transport have been recorded by the British Transport police in each police force area in England and Wales since 1998–99.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 December 2005, Official Report, columns 1466–68W, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman).
	The table of figures given in that answer represents violent offences against passengers on trains. The policing of offences committed on other modes of public transport is within the remit of local police forces.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Active Service Prosecutions

Julian Lewis: To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria are applied when deciding to remove from military to civil jurisdiction decisions to prosecute service personnel for actions carried out on active service.

Mike O'Brien: Where an offence alleged to have been committed by a serviceman overseas is triable in either the court martial or the civilian courts here, it is ultimately for the Attorney General to decide, as part of his constitutional and superintendence roles, whether the case should be dealt with in the military or the civilian system. Only exceptionally will such a case be dealt with in the civilian system. This may be because it is no longer possible to use the court martial jurisdiction or because the particular circumstances of a case indicate that the civilian courts are best placed to deal with it.

Prosecutions (Hertfordshire)

Anne Main: To ask the Solicitor-General how many and what percentage of prosecutions in Hertfordshire were not completed in 2004–05.

Mike O'Brien: In 2004–05, CPS Hertfordshire received 25,397 cases in the magistrates' courts, inclusive of pre-charge decisions, while finalisations for the year amounted to 24,126, representing 95 percent. of receipts.
	In the Crown court, receipts totalled 1,760, inclusive of appeals and committals for sentence, while finalisations amounted to 1,535, or 87.2 percent.
	The remaining cases (1,271 in the magistrates courts and 225in the Crown court) were carried forward for completion in the following year.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Guidance Provision

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the change in the burden of administration on adult guidance providers since the Learning and Skills Council was established.

Phil Hope: Information, advice and guidance services on learning and work for adults are delivered by the Learning and Skills Council primarily through an integrated information and advice service comprising the national learndirect telephone and online advice service, and 47 local nextstep information and advice providers. In addition, adults participating in any LSC funded learning can access information and advice services through their learning provider. The administration of the service is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, and is managed and overseen by Mark Haysom the LSC's chief executive. Mark Haysom has written to the hon. Member in response to this question and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 24 January 2006
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding assessment of the change in the burden of administration on adult guidance providers since the Learning and Skills Council was established?
	Since the introduction of the nextstep" service in 2004, the LSC has reduced the administrative burden on providers of adult Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) services by:
	Publishing an annual delivery specification setting out the programme requirements and complimenting this with a single planning template
	Agreeing with the IAG delivery sector, a national customer record that captures core data for the national nextstep service and which is capable of being customised for local European Social Fund funded guidance provision
	Introducing a standardised monthly management upload process for customer data associated with the core nextstep contract
	Before these changes were implemented, consultation was undertaken with a representative of the then Bureaucracy Review Group to ensure their appropriateness. Feedback from our regional IAG working group indicates that the changes have been well received and have had a significant impact on the quality and availability of management information on services provided.

Child Care Places

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were available in each of the last 10 years in (a) England, (b) London and (c) each London borough.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested has been placed in the House Libraries.

Children's Centres

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the capital cost of establishing a full offer children's centre.

Beverley Hughes: There is no standard capital cost for developing a children's centre. Children's centres will grow out of a range of existing provision including Sure Start local programmes, Neighbourhood nurseries, primary schools, health and community provision and capital cost will differ according to particular circumstance.

Departmental Salaries

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the 10 highest-paid employees in her Department, broken down by (a) job title and (b) salary including bonuses; and whether the individual concerned is (i) a civil servant and (ii) a contractor in each case.

Maria Eagle: The following table lists the 10 highest-paid employees in my Department, as at 1 January 2006. The salary figures do not include bonuses which will be determined at the end of March 2006. The occupants of these posts were civil servants. For clarity, any contractors in my Department are not employees.
	
		
			 Job title Salary (£) 
		
		
			 Permanent Secretary 159,500 
			 Director General 143,500 
			 Director General 136,106 
			 Divisional Manager 127,627 
			 Director 123,436 
			 Director General 121,681 
			 Director 120,000 
			 Director 120,000 
			 Director General 117,859 
			 Director 114,117

Drop-out Rates

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average drop out rate at universities was in the last period for which figures are available; what the total cost of courses taken but unfinished was in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Information on projected non-completion rates for higher education students is published annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in Performance Indicators in Higher Education". The latest figures are given in the table.
	
		UK domiciled full-time first degree starters at English Higher Education Institutions who were projected to neither obtain an award nor transfer to another institution
		
			 Year of entry Percentage 
		
		
			 1998–99 15.8 
			 1999–2000 15.9 
			 2000–01 15.0 
			 2001–02 13.8 
			 2002–03 13.9 
		
	
	Source:
	'Performance Indicators in Higher Education'
	The figures requested for the total cost of courses taken but unfinished are not available centrally.

Neighbourhood Nurseries

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1918W, on neighbourhood nurseries, how many nursery places were taken up in (a) March 2003, (b) March 2004 and (c) March 2005, broken down by region.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 February 2006
	The information requested on the take-up of nursery places in neighbourhood nurseries is not collected centrally. Pursuant to my answer on 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1918W, the number of neighbourhood nursery places that were available in (a) March 2003, (b) March 2004 and (c) March 2005, broken down by region, is in the following table.
	
		
			 Region Places created by March 2003(4) Places created April 2003-March 2004 Places created April 2004-March 2005 Total 
		
		
			 East Midlands 224 1,426 1,208 2,858 
			 Eastern England 114 1,495 1,006 2,615 
			 London 851 3,359 3,717 7,927 
			 North East 405 4,878 122 5,405 
			 North West 1,096 5,202 3,043 9,341 
			 South East 229 2,298 1,360 3,887 
			 South West 232 2,425 1,208 3,865 
			 West Midlands 554 4,095 1,725 6,374 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 815 4,843 1,084 6,742 
		
	
	(4) Figures include places created between 2001 and March 2003.

Neighbourhood Nurseries

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to local education authorities on the replacement of nursery schools with nursery classes.

Beverley Hughes: None. However, we continue to make clear to local authorities that maintained nursery schools have a vital role to play in taking forward our agenda for families and children and should not be closed unless there are exceptional grounds for doing so.
	Local school organisation committees, who make decisions on school organisations, must have regard to the presumption against closure" provisions included in the statutory guidance on school organisation. This states that decisions to close a maintained nursery school must take account of: the quantity, quality, value for money and convenience to parents and the proposed replacement provision; the impact of the potential loss of the nursery school's experience and knowledge and alternatives to closure.

Overseas Students

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of British-Indians have applied to study in further education institutes in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Data on applications to study in further education institutes are not held centrally.

School Admissions

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the secondary schools which admit pupils on the basis of partial selection by ability criterion, broken down by local authority; and what the percentage is of pupils at each school admitted in this way.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected centrally as admission arrangements are set locally, after an annual consultation process. However, I have listed below those schools we are aware of which operate partial selection by ability or aptitude which it would not now be lawful to introduce. This is not a definitive list.
	
		
			 LEA School Pre-existing partial selection 
		
		
			 Barnet Mill Hill School 25%—technology, music and dance 
			 Bexley Erith School Proportion of intake on academic ability 
			 Buckinghamshire Waddesdon C of E School 15%—exceptional ability in music 
			 Croydon Edenham High School 15% ability 
			  Riddlesdown High School 15% ability 
			  Archbishop Lanfranc 15% ability 
			  Shirley High School 15% ability 
			 Dudley Old Swinford Hospital School 15% ability 
			 Hertfordshire St. Clement Danes School 10% academic ability 
			  Queens School 35% academic ability 
			  Rickmansworth School 35% academic ability 
			  Dame Alice Owen's 65 places academic ability 
			  Watford Grammar (Boys) 35% academic ability 
			  Watford Grammar (Girls) 35% academic ability 
			  Parmitter's School 35% academic ability 
			 Kent Homewood School 20% ability and aptitude 
			  Archbishops 15% ability 
			  Chaucer 15% ability 
			  Westlands 10%—maths 
			 Kingston Holy Cross 13%—ability 
			 Lambeth London Nautical Candidates complete a multiple choice questionnaire, and are asked about swimming ability 
			 Lancashire Ripley St. Thomas CE High 15% ability 
			 Lincolnshire Spilsbury King Edward VI (bilateral) 25% ability 
			 Liverpool Archbishop Blanch CE High School (Girls) 15% ability 
			  St. Hilda's CE High School (Girls) 15% ability 
			  St. Margarets CE High School (boys) 15% ability 
			 Peterborough The Kings School 12% ability 
			 Southend St. Thomas More High School for Boys 30 places ability 
			  St. Bernard's High School 63 places ability 
			 Surrey Rosebery School 23 places ability 
			 Wandsworth Burntwood 33% ability 
			  Ernest Bevin 33% ability 
			  Chestnut Grove 33% aptitude 
			  Graveney 30% ability 
			 Warwickshire Ashlawn School 12% ability

Schools (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the percentage of each cohort who failed to achieve level four at key stage two in each school in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The figures for the performance of pupils in schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne are published as part of the Key Stage 2 Achievement and Attainment Tables each year. These are available on the Department's website at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables/. The information is also available in the House Library.
	Primary standards in English and mathematics are continuing to improve. Since 1997, the proportion of 11-year-olds achieving the target Level 4 and above as measured by the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests has increased by 16 percentage points to 79 per cent. in English and by 13 percentage points to 75 per cent. in mathematics. In Newcastle-upon-Tyne the proportion achieving the target Level 4 and above has increased by more than the national rate of improvement (up by 21 percentage points since 1997 to 72 per cent. in English and by 18 percentage points to 69 per cent. in mathematics).
	The Government have set a national public service agreement target for 2008 to reduce by 40 per cent. the number of schools in which fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils achieve Level 4 or above in English and Level 4 in mathematics. Good progress has been made towards achieving this target. Compared with 2003 (baseline year), there has been an overall reduction of 34 per cent. (978 schools) in the number of schools achieving below 65 per cent. in English and 22 per cent. (770 schools) in the number of schools achieving below this level in mathematics.
	In Newcastle-upon-Tyne there are 23 schools where fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils achieved Level 4 and above in English in 2005, compared with 29 schools in 2003. In mathematics, 26 schools achieved results below 65 per cent. in 2005 compared with 29 schools in 2003.

Sex Offenders

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what records she keeps of the number of social workers employed by local authorities who have convictions or cautions for sex offences; and what advice she has issued on the management of their contact with children.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 26 January 2006
	The Department does not hold such information.
	The Government issued statutory guidance, effective October 2005, on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004, which makes clear that local authorities should have policies and procedures in place to prevent unsuitable people from working with children.

Speech Therapy (Westmorland and Lonsdale)

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on speech therapy services for children in Westmorland and Lonsdale in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 31 January 2006
	I have been asked to reply.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning services, including speech therapy services for children, to meet the health needs of their local population. In the current financial year, PCTs in Cumbria and Lancashire received resource revenue allocations totalling £2 billion, with the two PCTs covering Westmorland and Lonsdale receiving a total of £413.3 million. By 2007–08, the total resource allocation to PCTs in Cumbria and Lancashire will have increased to £2.8 billion, with the two PCTs covering Westmorland and Lonsdale receiving £528.8 million.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has allocated to tackling eclampsia in Africa in 2005–06.

Hilary Benn: DFID recognises that eclampsia is an important cause of maternal and neonatal death and disability. DFID provides most of its health-related assistance through non-earmarked Poverty Reduction Budgetary Support (PRBS) or ear-marked health sector support. Funds are not generally allocated against specific medical conditions, so it is not possible to specify the amount for tackling eclampsia in the current financial year.
	To prevent and treat eclampsia, women need an integrated health service with facilities and staff for antenatal and obstetric care, emergency referral to specialists and surgeons when they are required, reliable equipment and access to the right drugs. DFID funding supports country governments' plans to develop and strengthen their health systems. The aim is to improve access to all health services, including those for ante-natal and obstetric care.
	DFID is committed to a year-on-year increase in spending on maternal health. DFID's bilateral expenditure (excluding spend through general poverty reduction budget support) on programmes marked as contributing towards improving maternal health has increased by 34 per cent. over the last three years (and by 41 per cent. if reproductive health services which contribute to reducing maternal mortality are included).
	To complement our country level support, DFID also channels funds though the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In 2005–06, DFID has provided £20 million core funding and £10 million specifically for reproductive health.

Africa

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to strengthen property rights in Africa.

Hilary Benn: Fair and sound property rights are essential for growth, investment and poverty reduction in Africa. DFID works both to improve the business environment to boost private sector investment and create jobs and to secure the investments and livelihoods of poor people.
	DFID is helping Governments and other non-Government groups with land rights and administration in countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda, Swaziland, Botswana, Angola and Mozambique. This support is to improve poor people's access to land and property and enable them to secure their rights to land and property assets.
	DFID is also helping support an African Union Land Policy Conference to be held in Addis Ababa at the end of March, held with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Africa Development Bank.
	DFID funds various programmes across Africa that aim to strengthen court systems and thereby enhance property rights. A major new African initiative, the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF), has property rights as one of its priority areas and will substantially increase the support that DFID currently provides to property rights in Africa. DFID committed $30 million to this initiative in November 2005.

Africa

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what presentations were undertaken by the Commission for Africa in the run-up to the G8 summit; in which country each presentation took place; and what the date was of each presentation.

Hilary Benn: Following the launch of the Commission for Africa report on 11 March 2005, the Commission undertook a four month series of presentations leading up to the G8 summit at Gleneagles. This included regional events in Africa as well as G8 countries. More than 45 presentations were made in over 20 countries. Audiences included the African Union (AU) NEPAD, governments, private sector and civil society. Listed as follows is a list of key presentations made by the Commission during this period.
	March
	Commission for Africa Launch events, London, UK and Addis Ababa, Ethipopia 11 March
	Africa 2015, BBC conference, London, UK 18 March
	April
	Shell Business Action for Africa, London, UK 5 April
	Africa Partners Forum, Abuja, Nigeria, 9–10 April
	Commission for Africa outreach seminar, Washington, 15 April
	World Bank/IMF spring meeting, presentations in the margins, 16–17 April
	NEPAD Heads of Government, Egypt, 17–19 April
	Senegal development week, Senegal, 18–19 April
	Nelson Mandela Thinkers Forum, Nairobi, Kenya, 21–22 April
	Canadian Council for Africa Conference, Unleashing Finance and infrastructure in Africa", Toronto, Canada, 23–25 April
	May
	African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2 May
	New strategic inputs on European investments in development aid", Hearing at the European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium, 3 May
	African Media Development Facility Meeting, Dakar, Senegal, 4 May
	G8/NEPAD summit on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Plan (CAADP), Accra, Ghana, 5–6 May
	Our Common Interest: supporting Africa's resurgence", London School of Economics, London, UK, 9 May
	Spanish Foreign Ministry, Tenerife, 11 May
	Commission for Africa Outreach Seminar, Lagos, 12–13 May
	Economic Commission for Africa, Thirty-eighth session of the Commission/Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Abuja, Nigeria, 14–15 May
	Scottish Executive, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, 16 May
	US Senate, Foreign Relations Committee Hearing, Washington, USA, 17 May
	The Commission for Africa: Implementing the Findings", Wilton Park Conference, UK, 16–20 May
	African Development Bank Annual Meeting, Abuja, 18–19 May
	World Health Assembly, World Health Organisation, Geneva, 19 May
	African Youth Foundation, Bonn, Germany, 19–24 May
	Engaging Nigerians in the Commission for Africa", Nigerians in Diaspora Organisations Europe (NIDOE) Seminar, London, UK, 20 May
	"Security, Development and Human Rights: Shaping the Emerging International Doctrine", Ditchley Park Conference, UK, 20–21 May
	Increased Aid Flows and the Control of Corruption", Transparency International seminar, London, UK, 23 May
	Nelson Mandela Thinkers Forum, Maputo, Mozambique, 23–24 May
	National Assembly of Wales, Cardiff, UK, 24 May 2005
	British Embassy, Rome, Italy, 26 May
	Institute of African Studies, Moscow, Russia, 26 May
	'Africa: our common interest', workshop by Aspen Institute Italia Campidoglio, Rome, Italy, 27 May
	African Development Bank, Tunis, 27 May
	A masterplan for Africa—a big solution?", Kirchentag (Protestant Church Convention, Hanover, Germany, 28 May
	Commission for Africa Outreach Seminar, Algiers, 28–29 May
	Commission for Africa Outreach Seminar, Nairobi, Nigeria, 30–31 May
	Commission for Africa Outreach Seminar, Johannesburg, South Africa, 30–31 May
	Challenges of Africa", UNESCO, Annual Strategic Conference, Paris, France, 31 May-1 June,
	June
	World Economic Forum Africa Economic Summit, Cape Town, South Africa, 1–3 June
	Nigeria Economic Summit, Abuja, Nigeria, 1 June
	G8 International Parliamentarians' Conference on Development in Africa, Edinburgh, UK, 6–7 June
	African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) East African Civil Society workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, 6–7 June
	Commission for Africa Outreach Seminar for Central Africa, Yaounde, Cameroon, from 7–8 June
	Tanzanian Parliament, Tanzania, 9 June
	Making Poverty History: Achieving effective delivery of the development agenda", Price Waterhouse International Development Conference, London, UK, 9 June
	Embattled or Empowered Africa: Our Common Interest", Institut Royal des Relations Internationales/ Koninklijk Instituut voor Internationale betrekkingen (irri-kiib), Brussels, 14 June
	Commission for Africa Southern Africa Regional Consultation, City of Tshwane, South Africa, 14–15 June
	Meeting Global Development Challenges: Ireland's White Paper on Development Aid", Conference at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, 15 June
	Development Co-operation Ireland (DCI), Dublin, Ireland, 16 June
	Northern Ireland Assembly, Belfast, UK, 17 June
	Nelson Mandela Thinkers Forum, Dakar, Senegal, 21–22 June
	Corporate Council for Africa US Africa Business Summit, Baltimore, USA, 21–24 June
	UN High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, New York, USA, 27–28 June
	National Conference on the Commission for Africa, Sierra Leone, 28 June
	Africa-Europe Group for Interdisciplinary Studies (AEGIS), European Conference of African Studies, London, UK 30 June
	July
	African Union Summit, Libya, 4–5 July
	Business Action For Africa, London, UK, 5–6 July
	G8 Summit, Gleneagles, UK, 6–8 July

Africa

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial remuneration was paid by his Department to each Commissioner of the Commission for Africa; and what the (a) amount and (b) purpose was of each payment.

Hilary Benn: The Commissioners of the Commission for Africa (CfA) received no financial remuneration from DFID for their services. DFID paid expenses for travel and accommodation and the cost of administrative support when appropriate.

Consultants

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the contracts let by his Department to external consultants that were subsequently sub-let in each of the past five years; and what the value was of each (a) original and (b) sub-let contract.

Hilary Benn: The Department for international Development (DFID) welcomes consortia and sub-contracting arrangements. However, no business has been sub-contracted in its entirety subsequent to the issue of contract.

Global Fund (Myanmar)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding has been pledged by the UK to the global fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; how much of that funding has been delivered; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK has pledged £359 million to the Global Fund for the period 2002 to 2008. Our contribution in 2005 was £51 million, which brings our total contribution delivered to date, to £159 million. Over the next two years, we have pledged to provide £100 million to the Global Fund for 2006 and £100 million for 2007 to support the fund's estimated resource needs of US$ 7 billion for this period. The two-year total of £200 million represents 8.4 per cent. of the total pledged to date (i.e. £3.7 billion) and 5.1 percent. of the US$ 7 billion total resource needs. This is above our gross national income (GNI) fair share and is consistent with our past support. The UK is currently the fourth largest donor for the period 2006 and 2007 (after France, the US and Japan) and the second largest in the EU.
	There will be a mid-term review of the Global Fund's replenishment process in June. This will be an opportunity for the international community to review further the Global Fund's performance and urge new and existing donors to put in more money. The UK will continue its efforts to encourage additional support for the Global Fund, including from the private sector.

Millennium Development Goals

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendation in paragraph 3 of the UN General Assembly resolution A/60/L.2 on the World Programme of Action for Youth, relating to Youth and the Millennium Development Goals.

Hilary Benn: DFID funds programmes that support young people as an integral part of many of its international development programmes. DFID encourages its development partners to adopt an inclusive approach and to involve all groups in society, including young people, in developing and monitoring their Poverty Reduction Strategies.
	DFID has provided support for young people's participation in a number of countries. Examples include working with schoolchildren, as well as their carers and teachers, to develop School Improvement Plans in Malawi, and encouraging consultation with children and young people in the development of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo's plan for reducing poverty.
	In Sierra Leone, DFID has contributed to youth projects to provide conciliation resources and equip young people with skills to develop their livelihoods; community re-integration projects, with a focus on child soldiers; and a programme for promoting peace, security and stability, through a radio programme for children, produced by children, and through training young people to use dialogue as a means of resolving or transforming conflict. The UK Government also provides 30 per cent. of the funding for the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Its contribution this year is £650,000.
	The Government are committed to the eighth Millennium Development Goal, a Global Partnership for Development, which includes supporting decent and productive work for youth. The Government's support for youth employment is mainly channelled through the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Bank.
	DFID is also completing a briefing note on post primary education, which will recognise the increasing importance of addressing the educational needs of young men and women.
	I have arranged for copies of a recent DFID policy paper entitled 'Reducing Poverty by tackling Social Exclusion' to be placed in the Libraries of the House. DFID will take forward work to encourage participation by young people in decisions that affect their lives as an integral part of its work on social exclusion.

Rwanda

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much bilateral aid the UK spent in Rwanda in each of the past eight years for which records are available; and what the planned figures are for each of the next five years.

Hilary Benn: The following Table 1 provides the bilateral aid the UK has provided to Rwanda since 1997–98, while Table 2 provides the UK imputed multilateral share to EC. Table 3 provides the planned bilateral aid figures for the next three years.
	
		Table 1: UK's bilateral aid to Rwanda 1999–98 to 2004–05
		
			 Fiscal year Total bilateral gross public expenditure (£000) 
		
		
			 1997–98 6,166 
			 1998–99 13,568 
			 1999–2000 14,279 
			 2000–01 32,431 
			 2001–02 26,818 
			 2002–03 31,937 
			 2003–04 26,910 
			 2004–05 45,028 
		
	
	
		Table 2: UK imputer share to Rwanda through EC
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1994 5 
			 1995 1.8 
			 1996 5.9 
			 1997 4.4 
			 1998 2.4 
			 1999 3.2 
			 2000 7.3 
			 2001 5.3 
			 2002 3.3 
			 2003 3.7 
		
	
	
		Table 3: Planned bilateral expenditure for Rwanda
		
			 Fiscal year Total bilateral gross public expenditure–planned (£000) 
		
		
			 2005–06 46,000 
			 2006–07 46,000 
			 2007–08 46,000

Sudan

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had on a renewed and strengthened UN mandate on Darfur.

Hilary Benn: I have had a number of such discussions. DFID welcomes the African Union's (AU) decision at the 12 January Peace and Security Council (PSC) expressing support in principle to handing over its monitoring mission in Darfur (AMIS) to the UN. The UN Security Council has instructed the UN Secretary General to report back to the Council on the options for such a UN operation. We are discussing with the UN and the AU, the possible size, mandate and composition.

Sudan

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding he has supplied to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur; and whether he plans to allocate further funds.

Hilary Benn: The UK has committed £19 million funding this financial year to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). This brings our total contribution to AMIS, since its inception, to almost £32 million. We are using this money to provide equipment (we have purchased a total of over 900 vehicles), as well as military and civilian policing advice, expertise and training. Some of our contribution has also funded airlift of troops into Darfur, and further troop rotation this year. The UK will continue to support AMIS during its deployment, and the AU-led mediation of the Abuja peace talks on Darfur.

WALES

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the annual expenditure on (a) fixture and fittings, (b) general office expenses and (c) office equipment was of his Department in (i) Wales and (ii) each English region in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06 in each case.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs on 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1834W.

Dispensing Appliance Contractors

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the likely effect on services and support for patients in Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr of the review of the system by which dispensing appliance contractors are paid; and whether specialist products for patients will continue (a) to be available and (b) to be paid for by his Department.

Peter Hain: This is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. I understand that no decision on the way forward in Wales has been made yet. The consultation period on the proposals in England ended on 23 January and the Welsh Assembly Government are currently watching developments and will decide in due course on the most appropriate action for Wales.

Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 532W, on local government, how much funding the Valuation Agency received from the National Assembly for Wales Government.

Peter Hain: The Valuation Office Agency received a total of £28.63 million in funding from the Welsh Assembly Government in the three years 2002–03 to 2004–05. This included £5.27 million to cover the cost of revaluation in Wales.

Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 532W, on Local Government Act, whether local authorities, with particular reference to council tax collection departments, incurred costs because of the implementation of section 77 of the Act.

Peter Hain: The Welsh Assembly Government's proposals for revaluation and rebanding were set out in its policy statement Freedom and Responsibility in Local Government" and were implemented in agreement with local authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association. The WLGA did not identify any additional financial pressures as a consequence of revaluation—costs were met from within existing resources.

Manufacturing

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the (a) First Minister and (b) Welsh Assembly Government on support for the manufacturing industry in Wales.

Peter Hain: I regularly meet the First Minister and discuss a range of issues including support for manufacturing in Wales. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales has similar meetings with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers.
	Both the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly Government recognise that manufacturing remains vital to the Welsh economy, accounting for 19 per cent. of GVA—proportionally higher than the UK as a whole.
	The UK Government are working in partnership with industry, trade unions regional development agencies and other stakeholders to deliver the Manufacturing Strategy launched in May 2002 and reviewed in 2004, to secure a long-term future for manufacturing.
	The Assembly and its agencies provide a range of support to Welsh manufacturers. These include financial assistance, business advice, promoting innovation, for example the Technium programme, and initiatives to improve skills and promote entrepreneurship.
	The Assembly works directly with the sector through the manufacturing task and finish group. The Assembly's Economic Development Minister announced at the Wales TUC manufacturing conference last October that there will be a Welsh manufacturing forum represented by a cross section from the sector, and is consulting on the detail. This initiative has been well received by the manufacturing sector in Wales.

Parliamentary Questions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last 12 months for answer by him on a named day (a) were transferred and (b) received a substantive answer (i) on the day named and (ii) after the day named.

Peter Hain: Departments aim to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled. Unfortunately, this is not always possible but this Department makes every effort to achieve these time scales.
	(a) None
	(b) (i) 90.48 per cent.
	(ii) 9.52 per cent.

Parliamentary Questions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many ordinary written parliamentary questions tabled for answer by him in the last 12 months have been answered (a) within 14 days, (b) between 14 and 28 days, (c) between 28 days and two months and (d) in excess of two months after the date of tabling; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Departments aim to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled. Unfortunately, this is not always possible but this Department makes every effort to achieve these time scales.
	(a) 90.51 per cent.
	(b) 9.49 per cent.
	(c) None
	(d) None

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Accountancy Profession

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to break up the big four accountancy firms.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation.

Aerospace Trade Missions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which British companies (a) took part in the October 2005 aerospace trade mission to Japan and (b) will be taking part in the February 2006 aerospace trade mission to Singapore.

Ian Pearson: (a) The following companies took part in the October 2005 aerospace mission to Japan:
	Airclaims Ltd.
	Apollotek Ltd.
	Bae Systems (International) Ltd.
	BCF Designs Ltd.
	Burcas Ltd.
	Delcam Japan
	Kuehne and Nagel Ltd.
	Maher Ltd.
	Nallatech Ltd.
	Rolls Royce International Ltd.
	W. L. Gore and Associates
	(b) The following companies are scheduled to take part in the February 2006 mission to Singapore:
	Aerotech World Trade Ltd.
	Air Service Training (Engineering) Ltd.
	Atlantic Bridge Aviation Ltd.
	Fly BN Ltd.
	Herman Smith and Associates
	Novar Projects Ltd.
	RHE Ltd.
	South East Airports Ltd.
	Southern Gas Turbines Ltd.
	The mission to Singapore is timed to coincide with the Asian aerospace trade fair at which other UK companies are exhibiting.

Anti-corruption Guidelines

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the Export Credits Guarantee Department's revised anti-corruption guidelines.

Ian Pearson: ECGD expects to publish the Government's final response to the consultation on its anti-bribery and corruption procedures in the next few weeks.

Automotive Academy

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to extend Automotive Academy re-employment training to areas other than the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Automotive Academy is an independent organisation established by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to deliver on a partnership between the Government and the industry. Its remit, supported by a £12 million grant from DTI, is to raise the skills base in the automotive industry among small and large companies alike, throughout the supply chain. It does this in part by developing industry-led world-class training courses and materials. The pre-employment training programme is a new course striving to augment the skill set of those actively seeking re-employment. This course is being piloted in the West Midlands. The Automotive Academy has a national focus and once fully tested and developed all courses are made available across the UK via the academy's regional infrastructure for delivery via quality assured third party training providers.

Bifrangi UK Ltd

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the dates of the meetings officials of his Department have held with representatives of Bifrangi UK Ltd in Sheffield in the last 12 months.

Alun Michael: Since January 2005 officials have met representatives of Bifrangi UK Ltd on the following dates:
	11 January 2005—Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency in Italy
	17 March 2005—Yorkshire and Humberside development Agency in Sheffield
	3 May 2005—UK Trade and Investment in London
	27 June 2005—Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency in Sheffield

Business Insolvencies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list each (a) corporate administration, (b) receivership and (c) liquidation that started over 20 years ago but has not yet been completed.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Details of these records from over 20 years ago are not available in this form and obtaining the data would incur disproportionate cost.

Business Insolvencies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the trend in the number of business insolvencies.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Business insolvencies include company liquidations and the self-employed subset of individual bankruptcy orders. It is not currently possible from centrally collated information to identify or quantify the element of business-related individual voluntary arrangements (IVA's). Figures quoted in the following table relate to England and Wales.
	
		Company liquidations and self-employed bankruptcies in England and Wales 1992–2005: Number and percentage change
		
			  Company liquidations Percentage change year on year 
		
		
			 1992 24,425 — 
			 1993 20,708 -15.2 
			 1994 16,728 -19.2 
			 1995 14,536 -13.1 
			 1996 13,461 -7.4 
			 1997 12,610 -6.3 
			 1998 13,203 4.7 
			 1999 14,280 8.2 
			 2000 14,317 0.3 
			 2001 14,972 4.6 
			 2002 16,305 8.9 
			 2003 14,184 -13.0 
			 2004 12,192 -14.0 
			 2005 12,893 5.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Self-employed bankruptcies Percentage change year on year 
		
		
			 1992 19,525 — 
			 1993 18,561 -4.9 
			 1994 15,114 -18.6 
			 1995 13,282 -12.1 
			 1996 12,667 -4.6 
			 1997 11,269 -11.0 
			 1998 10,420 -7.5 
			 1999 10,723 2.9 
			 2000 9,952 -7.2 
			 2001 9,839 -1.1 
			 2002 8,854 -10.0 
			 2003 9,139 3.2 
			 2004 9,564 4.7 
			 2005 n/a n/a 
			
			 January-September 2004 7,192 — 
			 January-September 2005 8,131 13.1 
		
	
	The trend in both company liquidations and self-employed bankruptcies has been decreasing, with some fluctuation, since the last recession in the early 1990's. The 2005 figure of 12,893 company liquidations is just over half of the level reached in 1992 (24,425); self-employed bankruptcies in 2004 (the latest full year available) at 9,564 are less than half the level in 1992 (19,525). The latest available data for self-employed bankruptcies are for January-September 2005, where the 8,131 bankruptcy orders compare with 14,531 during the same period of 1992.
	Since 1997, company liquidations have shown modest increases year-on-year until 2002 after which the figures fell in 2003 and again in 2004. The 2005 figure, while up slightly on 2004, is about the same as for 1997. Self-employed bankruptcies decreased year-on-year from 1997 to 2002, after which 2003 and 2004 saw small increases; the 2004 figure (at 9,564) remains, however, lower than in 1997 (11,269).
	When compared with numbers of companies on the Companies House active register, the rate of company insolvencies has been falling from Q3 1992 to Q4 2005; the latest figure of 0.7 has remained the same for the last six quarters and compares to that of 2.6 for Q3 1992. The equivalent rate during the second half of 1997 was 1.2.

Company Law

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation requiring companies to file a copy of their audit contract with the Registrar of Companies.

Alun Michael: Clause 480 of the Company Law Reform Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 1 November, will create a power for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring companies to disclose the terms on which their auditors are appointed.

Credit Cards

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to ban credit card companies from issuing credit cards to anyone below the age of 18 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government do not see the need to introduce such legislation. Under section 50 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 it is already an offence to send a document to a minor inviting them to borrow money and therefore no-one under the age of 18 should be offered a credit card. If, however, a minor were to enter into a credit agreement, that agreement would not be binding under the general law.

Departmental Conferences

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2006, Official Report, column 1245 on departmental conferences, what is his Department's definition of the marketing mix; and how much his Department spent on marketing in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: The communication specialists at DTI adopt an industry accepted definition of the marketing mix which can include direct mail, paid-for advertising, use of non-news media and promotional items. When marketing strategies are developed, a strong emphasis is placed on the desired outcomes and this influences what parts of the marketing mix are used.
	The then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry provided the following responses:
	14 January 2004 My Department's expenditure on advertising through the Central Office of Information in 1997–98 amounted to £2,504,885 excluding VAT and subsequent COI rebates. Records of expenditure on other information campaigns are not held centrally."
	21 January 2004 For expenditure on advertising by my Department through COI from 1995–96 to 2000–01.I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham on 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 162W. Expenditure for 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 (to date) was £6,610,240, £13,741,906 and £2,044,497 respectively. These figures include advertising by the Small Business Service and exclude VAT."
	Information on publicity expenditure from centrally held budgets is contained in the Government's Expenditure Plans and, more recently, the DTI's annual Departmental Report, which are available in the Libraries of the House. Figures relating to other information campaigns, and information on publicity and advertising by NDPBs, are not held centrally and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Dyfed Postal Area

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received since 1999 about changing the name of the Dyfed postal area to take account of new local authority areas since 1999.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail plc. The chief executive has been asked to reply to the hon. Member.

Energy Consumption (Wales)

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average annual energy consumption per household in Wales was in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Total energy consumption figures at regional and local authority level for 2003 were published as experimental statistics in the December 2005 edition of Energy Trends, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. These show that household energy consumption in Wales (excluding transport use) totalled 29,554.7GWh (2,541.3 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent) during 2003. This equates to an annual household consumption of around 24,300kWh.

Energy Pricing

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he (a) last discussed and (b) next plans to discuss energy prices for industry with Ofgem.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 17 November 2005
	Ministers and senior officials in DTI meet regularly with their counterparts in Ofgem to discuss a broad range of energy market issues, including energy prices. The next meeting between Ministers and Ofgem is scheduled for the very near future. DTI established the Gas Prices Working Group, which includes Ofgem and industry representatives, to consider ways of mitigating the impact of high energy prices on industrial users.

Equitable Life

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations his Department has made to the EU in response to its proposed investigation into Equitable Life.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Parliament set up a Committee of Inquiry into Equitable Life on 12 January. The Treasury has received no approach from the Committee in relation to this inquiry. The Government will carefully consider any approach it receives and what representations it might make.

EU Accounts Modernisation Directive

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated cost to businesses is of the Business Review under the EU Accounts Modernisation Directive.

Alun Michael: holding answer 7 February 2006
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanies the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005 (S.L 2005/1011), estimates the cost of preparation and audit assurance for the Business Review at a total of £103.74 million for 37,290 companies.

Fireworks

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the restrictions on the supply of fireworks since the coming into force of the Fireworks Regulations 2004.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. However, an assessment of enforcement activities under relevant fireworks legislation will be undertaken in due course.

Gas Supplies

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking with the European Commission to secure fair access to supplies of gas at competitive prices.

Malcolm Wicks: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote to the European Commission on 5 December to ask them to consider whether the price volatility on the UK gas market last November may have been the result of abusive behaviour or distortions in the wider EU gas market. The Commission is already carrying out an inquiry into the EU gas and electricity sector and I understand they intend to present their preliminary findings on 16 February. We would expect and encourage them to take urgent action to address any examples of such abusive behaviour or distortions.

Indian Companies

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the five Indian companies in the UK with a presence in the financial services sector which have the highest turnover; and what the turnover is of each.

Ian Pearson: According to publicly available information from Companies House, the top five Indian companies in the financial services sector in the UK, based on turnover in 2004–05, are given in the following table. Several Indian banks have only branches in the UK but these, according to Companies House, are not required to provide separate accounts.
	
		
			 Company Latest year Turnover (£000) 
		
		
			 1. ICICI Bank UK Ltd 31 March 2005 7,124 
			 2. JB Boda and Co (UK) Ltd 31 December 2004 552 
			 3. KM Dastur and Co Ltd 31 March 2005 243 
			 4. First Global (UK) Ltd 31 March 2005 49 
			 5. Ridge Futures Ltd 31 March 2004 16 
		
	
	Note:
	Turnover figure not available, the above figure refers to operating income, (including fees and other income).

Military Equipment (Exports)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export credit arrangements have been put in place to provide cover for military equipment exported to Saudi Arabia under the Memorandum of Understanding document signed in December 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: There are no export credit arrangements in place to provide cover for this business.

New Delhi Declaration

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the 2002 New Delhi Declaration, what assessment his Department has made of the operation of the (a) Joint Economic and Trade Committee and (b) Indo-British Economic and Financial Dialogue.

Ian Pearson: The purpose of (JETCO) is to engage bilaterally with business on UK-India trade and investment issues and take action where possible to increase business opportunities. The second meeting was held in London on 31 January. The meeting, chaired by John Sunderland of the CBI and in the presence of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Indian Minister of Commerce, Kamal Nath, was well attended by business delegations from India and the UK. Progress reports were given on 11 areas of work taking place under JETCO, including intellectual property rights and sector based activity being conducted by business to business working groups e.g. legal services, hi-tech, infrastructure, health, agribusiness and creative industries. JETCO has already seen the liberalisation of air services and the signing of a bilateral film co-production agreement. During the second JETCO meeting, Ministers Nath and Johnson asked their officials to continue conduct a six monthly review of the JETCO process. Findings will be submitted at the mid-year review (summer 2006). Both Ministers agreed that JETCO is playing a vital role in promoting an increasing bilateral trade and investment.
	Terms of reference for the Indian British Economic and Financial Dialogue were agreed in London on 4 February 2005 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Indian Finance Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram. Since then, senior officials from both countries have held useful exploratory discussions about topics to take forward in partnership under the dialogue. A first session of the Dialogue is expected to take place later this year.

Nuclear Fuels

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the energy requirements of producing nuclear fuels.

Malcolm Wicks: In the context of the Energy Review, the Government are looking at the lifecycle carbon emissions of nuclear generation. This will require an understanding of the energy requirements for the preparation of fuel, operation, and decommissioning and waste management.

Nuclear Power

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with representatives of Amicus on the new nuclear build.

Malcolm Wicks: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I both have regular discussions with representatives of Amicus on a wide range of issues. However, none of our recent meetings have been specifically related to new nuclear build.
	During the Energy Review consultation, I want to engage a wide range of stakeholders, including trade unions, in an assessment of all options to help us deliver our medium and long term objectives.

Operating and Financial Review

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the financial costs incurred by business prior to November 2005 in respect of implementing the operating and financial review;
	(2)  if he will list the interested parties who were consulted by his Department prior to November 2005 in respect of the proposal to remove the requirement to prepare operating and financial review statements.

Alun Michael: The options to increase narrative reporting requirements were considered in the final regulatory impact assessment that accompanied the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc) Regulations of March 2005 which was the subject of extensive consultation in summer 2004. It follows that no further consultation was carried out by the Department of Trade and Industry before the regulations repealing the operating and financial review were introduced.
	Because of the high degree of overlap between the content requirements of the OFR and the business review, the bulk of the preparatory work undertaken by quoted companies for OFR purposes should be applicable to the preparation of the business review, so formal assessment has been carried out of costs already incurred by business.

Operating and Financial Review

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what methods he used to calculate the estimated financial consequences for business of the Operating and Financial Review prior to his decision not to proceed with it; and what discussions he had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs before taking this decision;
	(2)  what assessment he made of the economic effects of requiring large companies to report on environmental issues under the Operating and Financial Review prior to his decision not to proceed with the scheme, with particular reference to resource efficiency.

Alun Michael: The options to increase narrative reporting requirements and the associated costs of these were fully considered in the final regulatory impact assessment (RIA) that accompanied the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations of March 2005 which was the subject of extensive consultation in summer 2004. No further RIA was considered necessary because the information provided in the original RIA was used by the Government to adjust its decision. In deciding to repeal the OFR, the Government chose one of the original options rather than another, and did not consider that a new RIA was necessary. Relevant Departments were consulted before the decision to repeal the OFR requirement was taken.

Post Office Card Account

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations contribute to the cost of running the Post Office Card Account scheme; and how much was contributed by each organisation in each year since its establishment.

Barry Gardiner: A number of organisations have committed to making a contribution towards the costs of the Post Office card account between 2003–08. The contributing organisations, in alphabetical order, are: Abbey National Group, Alliance and Leicester, Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Co-operative Bank, First Trust, Halifax-Bank of Scotland, HSBC, Lloyds-TSB, National Australia Group, Nationwide Building Society, Northern Rock, Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
	Details of individual payments are commercially confidential but in total these organisations have pledged around £182 million over the term of the agreement.

Post Office Card Account

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's financial contribution has been to the Post Office Card Account system.

Barry Gardiner: The Government's financial contribution to the Post Office card account system is made under contracts between Post Office Ltd. and the Department for Work and Pensions, the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Postal Services

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of first class letters posted in Leicester met Royal Mail's online delivery target in the last year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. The chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Power Loss (Compensation)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much compensation for loss of power was paid to customers by each power company in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: Ofgem, the independent gas and electricity markets regulator, is responsible for the levels of compensation paid following a loss of power. Ofgem's chief executive officer has promised to write to the hon. Member with the details.

Renewable Energy

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department holds information on (a) the number and (b) the locations of micro-wind turbines in England.

Malcolm Wicks: (a) Under the Clear Skies Programme, which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, grants are available for micro turbines. Currently 231 households and 90 community groups have been offered grant funding.
	(b) Details of all Clear Skies grant funded community projects can be downloaded from the website, http://www.clear-skies.org/communities/ApplicationGuidelines.aspx

Special Advisers

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the special advisers in post in his Department, broken down by pay band; and what the total budgeted cost to his Department of special advisers is for 2005–06.

Alan Johnson: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 July 2005, Official Report,c. 158–62WS.
	Information on the numbers of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information will be available in the Libraries of the House.
	Information relating to costs for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the current financial year.

VAT Registration

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses (a) registered and (b) deregistered for VAT in each year in Ribble Valley since 1997.

Alun Michael: The number of businesses which (a) registered and (b) deregistered for VAT in each year in Ribble Valley since 1997 is displayed in the following table:
	
		
			  VAT registrations VAT deregistrations 
		
		
			 1997 195 160 
			 1998 185 160 
			 1999 200 160 
			 2000 175 150 
			 2001 195 165 
			 2002 250 170 
			 2003 270 215 
			 2004 205 175

World Trade Organisation

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the compendium due on the Hong Kong World Trade Organisation meeting.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 6 February 2006
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a statement to the House on the 20 December 2005 to provide an update on progress made at the 6th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong. In line with normal practice, there will be no formal, written report on the Conference.

World Trade Organisation

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is the Government's policy that the Russian Federation's accession to the World Trade Organisation should be conditional on its ratification of the Energy Charter Treaty.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 7 February 2006
	To date, Russia has reached bilateral agreements on its accession to the WTO with the vast majority of WTO members. Only a few remain to be concluded. The bilateral agreement with the EU was reached in May 2004. Ratification of the Energy Charter Treaty was not a requirement under that bilateral agreement.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Road Traffic Accidents

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of serious road traffic accidents in Northern Ireland in 2005; and if he will make additional funding available to promote road safety.

Shaun Woodward: Provisional figures for 2005 indicate that there were 128 fatal collisions, resulting in 136 deaths, the lowest number since 1952 and 1041 serious injuries.
	The Government announced last December that £5.5 million has been set aside for road safety for each of the next two financial years.

Paramilitary Organisations

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors he will take into account when assessing the future intentions of paramilitary organisations on ceasefire.

Peter Hain: I take into account whether an organisation is committed to the use now and in the future of only democratic and peaceful means to achieve its objectives; has ceased to be involved in preparation for violence; and is co-operating fully with the Decommissioning Commission.

Paramilitary Organisations

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in reducing the involvement of paramilitary organisations in criminality in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The partner agencies of the Organised Crime Task Force are relentlessly pursuing organised criminals in Northern Ireland, regardless of whether they are linked to paramilitary groups or not. Good progress is being made—last year 28 top level organised crime gangs in Northern Ireland were disrupted or dismantled as a result of law enforcement activity.

Child Sex Abuse

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will instruct the Police Service of Northern Ireland to create a separate database of child sex abuse allegations and cases in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The Police Service of Northern Ireland currently employs a number of databases that record relevant information about sex offenders. They are managed to nationally agreed standards. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is also currently considering the development of a new victim centred database that would enhance the organisation's ability to track suspected incidents/reports of all sexual offence investigations, including those involving child sex abuse.

Smoking Ban

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the response from the people in Northern Ireland has been to the proposed smoking ban in public places.

Shaun Woodward: My announcement on 17 October was widely welcomed by a broad spectrum of public opinion, including health professionals, trades' unions and the main political parties. A recent survey commissioned by Action Cancer and Action on Smoking and Health found that 78 percent. of Northern Ireland respondents support laws to make all workplaces, including pubs and restaurants, smoke-free.

Fuel Smuggling

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government are taking to combat illegal fuel smuggling into Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: Bearing down on oils fraud is a key priority for the Organised Crime Task Force. Legitimate fuel deliveries into NI have increased by 28 percent. since 2000.

Security

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: We continue to see dramatic improvements in the security situation compared to the height of the troubles, with paramilitary style attacks on a downward trend.

Breast Screening

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to restore public confidence in reporting on breast screening in Northern Ireland following the Wilson review.

Shaun Woodward: The recommendations of the Wilson report will be implemented in full as will those of the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority when it reports in March. Delivery of breast diagnosis will in future be achieved through multi-disciplinary team working. The Department is urgently addressing the need to recruit further consultant radiologists and is already considering how best to deploy current resources to provide a quality service to women with breast disease.

Coastal Erosion

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the measures he has taken to reduce the impact of coastal erosion around Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Northern Ireland does not have any legislation specifically related to coastal erosion. Essential works within the sphere of interest of various Departments continue to be dealt with under various pieces of existing legislation according to the Bateman formula.
	The Bateman formula is an historic interdepartmental agreement detailing the procedure for executing essential coastal protection works. Within this formula cost beneficial works, to protect essential infrastructure, may be undertaken by the Department or authority responsible for the asset at risk. For example, Translink is responsible for sea defences on certain sections of the rail network and has recently completed £600,000 of work repairing sections of rail between Downshire Halt and Whitehead.
	DARD's Rivers Agency undertakes essential cost effective works that do not fall within the functional area of other Departments or agencies.

Drugs Seizures

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many seizures have been made in each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland of (a) ecstasy tablets, (b) cocaine, (c) cannabis and (d) heroin during each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Shaun Woodward: Neither the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) nor Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) hold records of the number of seizures of illicit drugs made in each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland.
	Information relating to the number of seizures of ecstasy, cocaine, cannabis and heroin which have been made in the last twelve months by PSNI, and broken down by district command unit, and by HMRC broken down by airports and postal depots has been placed in the Library.

Dungiven Castle

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) environmental and (b) historical protection there is against inappropriate developments adjacent to Dungiven castle, County Londonderry.

Angela Smith: Dungiven castle is a Grade B1 listed building. It is listed under Article 42 of the Planning (NI) Order 1991. Both the castle and its setting are protected from inappropriate works under this Order and Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS 6) Planning Archaeology and the Built Heritage". The Draft Northern Area Plan, published May 2005 is also a material consideration in determining planning applications and affords protection to the castle and its surrounding area by two designations. The first is as a Local Landscape Policy Area. This seeks to prevent proposals liable to adversely affect features that contribute to the environmental quality, integrity or character of the area. The second is as an Area of Archaeological Potential. This highlights, for prospective developers, areas where it is likely that archaeological remains will be encountered in the course of development. Where remains are found, PPS 6 provides policies for their safeguarding and management. The Castle Environmental Park is a major area of existing open space which is protected by another Planning Policy (Statement 8 Open Space and Recreation). A small part of this park is within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
	There is a scheduled archaeological site and monument located to the south east of the castle which is also afforded protection under PPS 6.

Floral Displays

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was spent by each district council in the Province on floral displays in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not held centrally and councils inform the Government that they do not record this separately.

GCSEs

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of students in (a) grammar schools and (b) non-grammar schools in Northern Ireland achieved passes at grades A* to C at GCSE level in at least five subjects including English and mathematics in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The requested information is as follows:
	
		
			 Academic year Grammar schools Non-grammar schools Northern Ireland average 
		
		
			 2003–04 91 26 49 
			 2002–03 92 26 50 
			 2001–02 92 26 50 
			 2000–01 92 25 49 
			 1999–2000 92 24 49 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures refer to the percentage of year 12 pupils who achieved five or more GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics.
	2. The latest information available relates to the 2003–04 academic year.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the trend in the number of general practitioners in Northern Ireland continuing to practise beyond the age of 65 years.

Shaun Woodward: At 6 February 2006 there are 28 general practitioners over the age of 65 who are working in primary care, out of a total of 1,490. Full historic detail of the age profile of general practitioner's is not held.

Health Commissioning Bodies

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the likely costs of developing and sustaining seven new health commissioning bodies in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: Under the new arrangements to be put in place as a result of the Review of Public Administration, four health and social services boards and 18 trusts are to be replaced by a single strategic health and social services authority and five trusts.
	Seven social commissioning groups will be established as local offices of the authority.
	The operational costs of these new commissioning arrangements are still being considered but it is expected that the new structures will deliver significant savings in overall management and administration costs.

Hospitality Costs

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer by his colleague of 12 January 2006, Official Report, column 791W, on hospitality costs, how hospitality was paid for by (a) the Secretary of State and Direct Rule Ministers, (b) Ministers in the Northern Ireland Assembly, (c) the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, (d) the Chief Constable and (e) district commanders in each of the last 10 years; what limit was placed upon the amount of alcohol allowable under the hospitality budget; and what accounting procedures were in place to monitor the amount spent on hospitality in each case.

Shaun Woodward: Hospitality costs for (a) the Secretary of State and Direct Rule Ministers are paid from the NIO's budget, (b) Ministers in the Northern Ireland Assembly are paid for directly by the relevant NI Department of each Minister, (c) the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly are paid for from the budget of the NI Assembly, (d) the Chief Constable are paid for from the PSNI budget and (e) district commanders are also paid for from the PSNI budget.
	For the Northern Ireland Office and the NI Assembly, there is no fixed figure for the amount of alcohol which can be paid from a hospitality budget. The director, or head of division, is responsible for ensuring that the Department's policy on controlling and accounting for hospitality is adhered to at all times.
	For the PSNI and the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP), specific guidance is available on the provision of hospitality, including limits for expenditure on alcohol. In general, such expenditure should be modest and, in the case of a sit down meal for example, should not exceed one third of the total cost of food. DFP are currently reviewing their departmental guidance.
	All hospitality budgets are allocated annually and strictly monitored throughout the accounting period. Records are subject to audit.

Martin Kelly

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what role the Police Service Northern Ireland's underwater search unit has played in relation to the investigation into the case of Martin Kelly.

Shaun Woodward: The deployment of police resources in an investigation, including the underwater search unit is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.

Ministerial Car Fleet

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 303W, on ministerial car fleet, how police drivers are paid for; and which agency or Department provided drivers for each devolved minister in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Shaun Woodward: Police drivers and their associated costs are initially paid from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) own budget, and these costs then are recouped from the NIO on a quarterly basis.
	Under devolution the Department of Finance and Personnel (car pool) provided and paid for drivers for all devolved Ministers for the Northern Ireland Executive apart from those who were covered by the PSNI close protection unit (CPU) and those Ministers from Sinn Fein who provided drivers from their party.

Northern Ireland Development Agency

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the location is of each Northern Ireland Development Agency office; what the annual running cost was of each in the last period for which figures are available; and how much (a) inward investment each attracted and (b) trade each produced for Northern Ireland in that period.

Angela Smith: Invest NI in line with our foreign direct investment (FDI) competitors in GB and ROI do not provide costs for individual offices. The overall budget for running the office network and associated marketing activities in 2004–05 amounted to £5.56 million.
	Invest Northern Ireland has investment and trade offices in Europe—London, Dublin, Brussels and Düsseldorf; Asia Pacific—Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, and Shanghai since December 2005; United States—Boston, San Jose, Atlanta, Washington DC, Denver and New York since June 2005; and the Gulf States—Dubai.
	During 2004–05 Invest NI secured 17 new FDI projects offering the potential of 1,905 jobs and representing a total investment of £58.2 million; with a further investment of £150 million offering the prospect of 1,562 new jobs by follow-on investment by FDI companies in previous years.
	Six projects were secured from the United States, five from the Republic of Ireland, four from Great Britain, and two from continental Europe.
	In 2004–05 companies using trade offices in Boston, Denver and Dubai reported new business worth £35.7 million.

Saville Inquiry

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total sums of public money paid to each relevant firm of lawyers for work done for or in connection with the Saville Inquiry.

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Saville Inquiry has cost to date; how much has been paid to each (a) leading counsel and (b) firm of solicitors involved; and how much he estimates the total cost will be.

David Hanson: The following table provides details of the payments made by the Northern Ireland Office to each of the legal firms involved in the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. These payments include VAT and other disbursements where appropriate and so do not necessarily represent the amounts received by individuals.
	
		
			   Period covered 
			 Counsel for the inquiry Payments made (£) From To 
		
		
			 Christopher Clarke 4,488,266 February 1998 December 2005 
			 Jacob Grierson(5) 394,879 July 1998 December 2000 
			 Alan Roxburgh 2,040,039 May 98 December 2005 
			 Cathryn McGahey 1,604,917 June 2000 December 2005 
			 Bilal Rawat 1,490,401 June 2000 December 2005 
			 
			 Solicitors employed for the taking of witness statements
			 Eversheds 12,673,056 June 1998 December 2005 
			 
			 Senior counsel representing the families
			 Lord Gifford 718,830 October 1998 December 2005 
			 Arthur Harvey 1,226,257 July 1998 December 2005 
			 Michael Lavery 593,354 November 2000 December 2005 
			 Barry J. McDonald(6) 889,953 September 1998 December 2005 
			 P. T. MacDonald(7) 65,800 April 1998 December 2005 
			 Michael Mansfield 682,378 March 1999 December 2005 
			 Eilish McDermott 659,909 March 2000 December 2005 
			 Seamus Treacy(8) 951,140 March 1998 December 2005 
			 Eoin McGonigal 82,446 October 2000 December 2005 
			 Kevin Finegan 551,815 July 1998 December 2005 
			 
			 Senior counsel representing NICRA
			 Sir Louis Blom Cooper 540,616 December 2000 December 2005 
			 
			 Junior counsel representing the families
			 John Coyle 650,802 September 1999 December 2005 
			 Fiona Doherty 466,658 October 2000 December 2005 
			 Ciaran Harvey 632,830 December 2000 December 2005 
			 Richard Harvey 634,792 October 2000 December 2005 
			 Brian Kennedy 594,716 July 1999 December 2005 
			 Philip Magee(9) 83,175 June 1998 December 2005 
			 Kieran Mallon 801,759 March 1999 December 2005 
			 Brian McCartney 867,957 October 1998 December 2005 
			 Karen Quinlivan 390,068 March 1999 December 2005 
			 Patricia Smyth 328,718 October 1998 December 2005 
			 Michael Topolski(10) 139,940 November 2000 December 2005 
			 Mary McHugh 384,111 February 2002 December 2005 
			 
			 Junior counsel representing NICRA
			 Paddy O'Hanlon 230,151 November 2000 December 2005 
			 
			 Solicitors representing the families
			 Barr & Co. 694,618 February 1999 December 2005 
			 Brendan Kearney & Co. 931,823 July 1999 December 2005 
			 Desmond Doherty & Co. 1,232,539 November 1998 December 2005 
			 MacDermott & McGurk 1,204,772 November 1998 December 2005 
			 Madden & Finucane 9,271,514 January 1998 December 2005 
			 McCann & McCann 671,501 October 1998 December 2005 
			 McCartney & Casey 1,221,132 November 1998 December 2005 
			 
			 Solicitor representing NICRA
			 Francis Keenan 594,327 May 2000 December 2005 
			 
			 Legal representatives for other witnesses
			 Various solicitors and counsel 2,860,625 April 1998 December 2005 
		
	
	(5) Left the case in December 2000.
	(6) Left the case (as a junior) in September 2000 and rejoined the case (as a senior) in July 2001.
	(7) Left the case June 1999.
	(8) Having started as a junior in March 1998, became a senior counsel in September 2000.
	(9) Left the case in September 2000.
	(10) Left the case in June 2001.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has advised me that the following payments have been made to counsel and solicitors in respect of work for the Bloody Sunday Inquiry by his Department.
	
		
			  Payments made (£) 
		
		
			 Senior counsel representing HM armed forces  
			 Edwin Glasgow QC 4,054,187 
			 Edmund Lawson QC 942,943 
			 David Lloyd Jones QC 1,095,966 
			 Gerard Elias QC 1,795,752 
			 Peter Clarke QC 958,852 
			 Sir Allan Green QC 1,522,441 
			 Rosamund Horwood-Smart QC 677,874 
			 Sir Sydney Kentridge QC 52,875 
			 Anna Worrall QC 100,456 
			   
			 Senior counsel representing MOD  
			 Ian Burnett QC 231,386 
			 Philip Havers QC 7,138 
			   
			 Junior counsel representing HM armed forces  
			 Alexander Milne 409,121 
			 Bridget Petherbridge 141,857 
			 Huw Davies 361,638 
			 Ian Leist 965,146 
			 Michael Hick 253,895 
			 Gaby Bonham-Carter 277,392 
			 Pamela Morrison 131,378 
			 Kristian Mills 56,928 
			 Nicholas Moss 991,892 
			 Sam Grodzinski 1,877 
			 Stephen Requena 88,160 
			 Alan May 299,009 
			 Andrew Hurst 590,803 
			 David Bradly 1,291,966 
			 Michael Bools 990,071 
			 Nicholas Griffin 1,195,062 
			 Thomas Quinton 426,072 
			   
			 Junior counsel representing the MOD  
			 William Hoskins 49,892 
			 Sacha Ackland 2,775 
			 Jonathan Hough 4,488 
			   
			 Solicitors representing HM armed forces  
			 Devonshires 2,727,581 
			 Kingsley Napley 1,943,586 
			 Payne Hicks Beach 3,772,352 
			 Jacqueline Duff 175,163 
			 Treasury Solicitor 3,049,919

Saville Inquiry

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many days retainers of (a) £750 and (b) £1,500 were claimed by each of the legal representatives at the Saville inquiry since its commencement.

David Hanson: Fees were paid to legal firms and counsel for work specifically devoted to the Bloody Sunday inquiry. No retainer fees have ever been paid to any legal representatives.
	Details of the amounts paid to legal representatives have been provided in answer to previous parliamentary questions from the hon. Member, the most recent on 25 January 2005, Official Report, column. 311W and today in answer to parliamentary questions from the hon. Member for Aylesbury and the hon. Member for Aldershot.

Shorts/Bombardier

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what means the Government have been monitoring how grant aid allocated from public expenditure to Shorts/Bombardier in the last five years has been spent by the company.

Angela Smith: In my answer to a previous question by the hon. Gentleman on 28 January 2006, Official Report, column 2332W, I listed the financial assistance which had been allocated to Bombardier by Invest NI and its predecessor organisations in financial years 2000–01 to 2004–05.
	In accordance with Invest Northern Ireland's principles of intervention, performance criteria were determined as part of the appraisal and approval process and these are incorporated into financial assistance agreements between Invest Northern Ireland and the company. The criteria are monitored on a regular basis and payments are made following the fulfilment by the client of its obligations, or where appropriate having vouched eligible expenditure incurred, under the terms of the financial assistance agreements.

Vaccination

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of making the influenza vaccine available to encephalomyelitis ME sufferers in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: Immunisation policy in the UK is determined on advice received from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) which advises all UK Health Departments. Overall immunisation policy is constantly reviewed by JCVI and influenza immunisation is currently not recommended for ME patients.

DEFENCE

Accommodation (Armed Forces Personnel)

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many homes are provided by his Department to (a) former and (b) current members of the armed forces and their families; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of the total stock of housing provided by his Department is allocated to (a) former and (b) current members of the armed forces and their families; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: This information is not held centrally in the form requested. I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Aircraft Carriers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to identify target in-service dates for each of the future aircraft carriers.

Adam Ingram: As for all projects, the in-service dates (ISDs) for the future aircraft carriers will only be set following the main investment decision and once they have been approved by Ministers. This decision has not yet been taken, and will only be taken when we know with confidence the risks, the costs and the associated contractual framework involved in building the carriers.

Defence Activity (West Midlands)

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial support he will provide for defence activity in the West Midlands in each of the next five years.

Don Touhig: Defence is a national capability and is funded functionally rather than geographically. Consequently the answer to this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Defence Vetting Agency

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average time was for an application to be processed by the Defence Vetting Agency for (a) a security check and (b) developed vetting on individuals in each country in the UK in the last year for which figures are available.

Adam Ingram: The DVA's computerised vetting records are not held in a format that enables the vetting statistics to be broken down by country. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The average times, for all initial and review cases undertaken in 2004–05 were:
	Security check—39 calendar days
	Developed vetting—70 calendar days

Joint Casualty Treatment Ship

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2006, Official Report, column 2127W to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox), on the Joint Casualty Treatment Ship, what the terms of reference are for the review; whether they include the possibility that RFA Argus will not be replaced; and when the review is expected to be completed.

Adam Ingram: The review of the Joint Casualty Treatment Ship programme was established to look into the options for delivering maritime deployed medical capability; taking into account the existing capability provided by RFA Argus.
	The review is expected to complete in April 2006.

Military Decorations

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the medals and decorations that were awarded by the United States administration to British military personnel of the rank of (a) Commodore, (b) Brigadier and (c) Air Commodore and above for operations in the Iraq war in 2003.

Jack Straw: I have been asked to reply.
	The United States administration made six awards in the Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) to British military personnel of the rank of Commodore, Brigadier and Air Commodore and above for operations in the Iraq war in (January to March) 2003.

Operation Enduring Freedom

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for increased NATO/international security assistance force command integration with the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The international security assistance force (ISAF)'s peace support mission will remain distinct from the counter-terrorism aspects of the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition's mission. NATO has, however, revised its operational plan for the ISAF to outline clear arrangements for creating greater synergy between the ISAF and the coalition. Clear command arrangements will co-ordinate, and where necessary, deconflict efforts between the two missions as agreed under the auspices of the operational plan.

QinetiQ

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the study commissioned from Accenture, referred to on page 24 of the QinetiQ prospectus.

John Reid: As the QinetiQ prospectus states, the Accenture study was privately commissioned by QinetiQ. Any queries relating to this are therefore a matter for the company; questions should be referred to the chief executive at the following address:
	Graham Love
	Chief Executive
	QinetiQ Limited
	Cody Technology Park
	Building Al
	Ively Road
	Farnborough
	Hampshire GUI4 OLX

QinetiQ

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much profit has been recorded since the formation of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, including that recorded by QinetiQ; and where these funds have been invested.

John Reid: In July 2001 the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) was split into its two successor organisations: QinetiQ and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Profit figures (including dividend distribution) for DERA up to the split, as shown in the Agency's annual reports are given as follows:
	
		
			£ million 
			  Profit (loss) for the financial year Dividend to MOD Retained profit (loss) 
		
		
			 1995–96 49.6 0 49.6 
			 1996–97 61.7 (11)23.9 37.8 
			 1997–98 40.6 20 20.6 
			 1998–99 31.0 25 6 
			 1999–2000 41.5 25 16.5 
			 2000–01 (12)(91.8) 5 (96.8) 
		
	
	(11) Includes £8.9 million deducted as an appropriation of a surplus arising on sale of operations.
	(12) Loss for 2000–01 reflects the impact of a number of exceptional items including the costs of the split of the former DERA, losses for the termination of certain operations, and a write down in the value of certain other assets.
	DERA profits after dividends were invested in the agency's operations. Profits recorded by QinetiQ are a matter for the company and recorded in its annual reports. Figures for the last three years, from 2001–02 to 2004–05, are, however, summarised in the QinetiQ Sale Prospectus, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 26 January 2006.

Service Accommodation

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's service accommodation properties were (a) grade 1 standard, (b) grade 2 standard, (c) grade 3 standard and (d) grade 4 standard in (i) Cyprus and (ii) Gibraltar (A) on the last date for which figures are available and (B) in 1997.

Don Touhig: The number and standards for condition of service families accommodation (SFA) and single living accommodation (SLA) in Cyprus and Gibraltar as at April 2005 are given in the following table. We do not hold comparative data for 1997.
	
		
			 Grade SLA SFA 
		
		
			 Cyprus   
			 1 60 246 
			 2 1,093 343 
			 3 1,659 709 
			 4 434 914 
			 Total 3,246 2,212 
			
			 Gibraltar   
			 1 6 349 
			 2 6 121 
			 3 0 35 
			 4 546 7 
			 Total 558 512

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with NATO counterparts on the possibility of supplying armed forces for peacekeeping in Sudan.

Adam Ingram: There has been no discussion on the provision of NATO forces for peacekeeping in Sudan. NATO continues to support the African Union's Mission in Sudan through the provision of airlift, training and capacity building.

SCOTLAND

Citizens Juries

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions his Department consulted citizens' juries on departmental policies in the last five years; in how many of those consultations the recommendations of the citizens' jury differed from existing departmental policy; and on how many occasions departmental policy was changed to reflect the recommendations of the citizens' jury.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has not consulted citizens' juries in the last five years.

Press Coverage

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions since 1 April 2003 he has complained to the Press Complaints Commission about the coverage in the press of (a) Ministers or officials and (b) his Department; and how many of these complaints were upheld.

David Cairns: No complaints have been made to the Press Complaints Commission.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Burdens Doctrine

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department's New Burdens Doctrine applies to new obligations imposed on local authorities by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The New Burdens Doctrine applies to all Government Departments. It requires them to fund the net additional costs of any policy or initiative which increases the cost of providing local authority services.

Casino Operators

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many meetings he has had with casino operators since May 1997; and (a) where and (b) when each such meeting took place.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was created following Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002 and no records are held from before this time.
	On 28 November 2004, while my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister was in Sydney on official business, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister visited Sydney's Star City Casino, to get a feel for what an establishment of that size was like. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister was shown around by a government relations officer at the casino.

Community Contact Centres

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria are used in assessing the eligibility for funding of community contact centres through the investing in communities programme in the eastern region; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: I have been asked to reply.
	Investing in communities is an innovative 10 year programme introduced by the East of England Development Agency which seeks to ensure that the region's most deprived communities can achieve their full potential. The aim is to identify the needs of local communities and, identify long term strategic solutions to address them. It will be for local partnerships to identify whether community contact centres have a role to play in developing long term strategic solutions to tackling the barriers which face disadvantaged communities in terms of accessing employment, skills, training and starting businesses.

Correspondence

Chris Mullin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Minister for Communities and local government will reply to the letter of 9 December 2005 from the right hon. Member for Sunderland, South regarding single status.

Phil Woolas: I replied to my hon. Friend on 6 February.

Departmental Groups

Pete Wishart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the administration costs associated with his Department's (a) Ministerial Group, (b) Legal Directorate and (c) Tackling Disadvantage Group in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table sets out the net administration costs of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Ministerial Group, Legal Directorate and the Tackling Disadvantage Group in 2004–05. These figures exclude the relevant group's or directorate's share of corporate overheads (such as IT and accommodation costs) which are managed centrally.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  2004–05 
		
		
			 Ministerial Group 4.74 
			 Legal Directorate 5.97 
			 Tackling Disadvantage Group 14.12

Departmental Groups

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff work in his Department's Sustainable Communities Group; how many are based in (a) London and (b) each region; and what the total salary costs were of the group in each area in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has 498.95 staff on full-time equivalent (FTE) basis working in the Sustainable Communities Group, of these 477.65 (FTE) staff are based in London. The total salary costs for the 2005–06 financial year currently stands at £17.938 million.
	The above figures are as at 2 February 2006.
	The ODPM does not hold data regarding the regions; such a breakdown could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Groups

Michael Weir: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the administration costs of his Department's Regional Development Group in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The net administration costs of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Regional Development Group (excluding the Government offices) in 2004–05 were £5.1 million. These figures exclude the group's share of corporate overheads (such as IT and accommodation costs) which are managed centrally.

Departmental Groups

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the administration costs associated with his Department's Sustainable Communities Group in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The net administration costs of the Sustainable Communities Group in 2004–05 were £27.13 million. These figures exclude the group's share of corporate overheads (such as IT and accommodation costs) which are managed centrally.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff have been employed in his private office in each year since he became Deputy Prime Minister.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minster was formed on 29 May 2002.
	The number of full-time equivalent staff employed in my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's private office were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 On 1 April 2003 6 
			 On 1 April 2004 8 
			 On l April 2005 8

Development (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department has held meetings on development in Castle Point with Hickfort Ltd of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

Yvette Cooper: Neither the Thames Gateway Delivery Unit nor the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East), as the appropriate divisions within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, have held a formal meeting with Hickfort Ltd. Representatives from Hickfort Ltd visited the Government stand at the Thames Gateway Forum on 23 November 2005. They had an informal discussion with a representative from GO-East about a proposed development in Castle Point, but no follow-up actions were agreed.

Directly-elected Mayors

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost was of the referendum for a directly elected mayor in each area where such a process has been conducted.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold information on the costs of referendums for directly-elected mayors.

Directly-elected Mayors

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many councils have conducted a referendum in which the local electorate (a) accepted and (b) rejected directly elected mayors.

Phil Woolas: 33 local authorities have conducted referendums on whether to have a directly elected mayor. Of these 12 voted for, and 21 against a directly elected mayor.

Early Retirement

David Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many departmental employees have taken early retirement due to ill-health in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: During the last five years there have been less than five ill-health retirements in any one year.
	Following guidance on data protection, we cannot provide further detailed analysis on these figures.

Financial Irregularity

Anne Main: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he has in place to prevent fraud and financial irregularity in his Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A number of measures are in place to manage the risk of fraud and financial irregularity including:
	promoting an anti-fraud culture in the Offices of the Deputy Prime Minister;
	providing guidance to staff on how to reduce the risk of fraud;
	defining responsibilities for guarding against fraud;
	reviewing the system of internal controls to ensure they are effective in detecting and deterring fraud;
	ensuring that an adequate separation of duties exists;
	providing appropriate avenues to enable staff and other stakeholders to report suspicions of fraud or irregularities.
	These measures are set out in a fraud policy statement which is made available to all staff.

Housing (Rochdale)

Paul Rowen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on future funding for the Rochdale and Oldham housing market renewal area.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received the scheme update from the Oldham Rochdale pathfinder and are currently considering their proposals. Funding for 2006–07 and 2007–08 will be announced in due course.

Local Exchange Trading Systems

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what support his Department provides for local exchange trading systems.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not provide support for local exchange trading systems.

Lyons Inquiry

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the likely total cost of the Lyons inquiry.

Phil Woolas: The Lyons inquiry spent £239,565 in 2004–05. Following the extension to its remit announced on 20 September 2005, it has an estimated spend of £850,000 for 2005–06 and £950,000 for 2006–07.

Lyons Inquiry

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library copies of the written submissions made by his Department to the Lyons inquiry into local government;
	(2)  whether (a) a Minister and (b) a civil servant from his Department has submitted a formal submission to the Lyons inquiry.

Phil Woolas: The Lyons inquiry is independent of the Government. Sir Michael Lyons will decide what to publish when he makes available his final report.

Post Office/Shop Closures

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information his Department collects on the closure of (a) post offices, (b) bank branches and (c) independent retail shops.

Phil Woolas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Michael Jabez Foster) on 14 December 2005, Official Report, column 1963W.

Press Coverage

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1 April 2003 he has complained to the Press Complaints Commission about the coverage in the press of (a) Ministers or officials and (b) his Office; and how many of these complaints were upheld.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Two. One was resolved.

Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average (a) council tax and (b) business rates bill, paid by a composite hereditament, was in England in the latest year for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: Details of the average (a) council tax and (b) business rates bill, paid by composite hereditaments, in England are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Regional Spatial Strategy

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will review the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England with reference to the merits of establishing a Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough growth corridor.

Yvette Cooper: The growth potential of the London-Stansted-Cambridge area was identified as part of the previous Regional Planning Guidance for the wider South East in 2001. The Sustainable Communities Plan, Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future", published February 2003, established the London-Stansted-Cambridge growth area, and it was extended to cover Peterborough in January 2004.
	The draft East of England Regional Spatial Strategy was published by the East of England Regional Assembly in December 2004. Following public consultation, the draft Plan is currently subject to Examination in Public by an independent panel. Once Government receives the panel's report it will consider the recommendations, including any relating to the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough growth area.

TREASURY

Caparo Judgment

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission research into the impact of the Caparo judgment on audit quality.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have no plans to commission such research.

Climate Change Levy

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the studies of the impact of the climate change levy produced by the Government Economic Service.

John Healey: The Government commissioned Cambridge Econometrics to carry out an independent evaluation of the climate change levy. Copies of the evaluation, modelling the initial effects of the climate change levy" were published at Budget 2005, are available in the House of Commons Library and on www.hmrc.gov.uk. and its main findings are summarised in chapter 7 of the PBR 2005 report.

Climate Change Levy

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's assessment is of the impact of the climate change levy on carbon emissions; and how much of this impact it estimates is attributable to (a) the price effect and (b) other effects consequent upon its introduction.

John Healey: The Government commissioned Cambridge Econometrics to carry out an independent evaluation of the Climate Change Levy (CCL). This evaluation, Modelling the initial effects of the climate change levy", concluded that the levy is effective and should save over 3.5 million tonnes of carbon per annum by 2010. In particular, Cambridge Econometrics concluded that the announcement effect of CCL in Budget 1999 will, in combination with the price effect, have reduced energy demand in the commerce and public sector by 14.6 per cent. by 2010. Cambridge Econometrics attribute most of the emissions savings to the announcement effect. However, because these two effects interact in CE's model, it is not possible to apportion precise carbon savings to either effect in isolation.

Climate Change Levy

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact of a 10 per cent. change in the climate change levy on carbon emissions after (a) six months and (b) three years.

John Healey: Based on historical price movement, it is estimated that an increase in CCL rates of 10 per cent. could reduce emissions by around 0.1 million tonnes of carbon per annum after three years. This excludes any announcement effect. No reliable estimates are available of the impact on carbon emissions after 6 months.

Consolidated Budget Guidance

Mark Harper: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to paragraph 333 of Consolidated Budget Guidance 2006–07, what arrangements his Department has agreed with the Ministry of Defence for the control of non-cash to near-cash switches; and what definition of near-cash he uses.

Des Browne: Near-cash in the MOD is defined in the same way as in other Departments except that it includes profit and loss on disposal and excludes the cash release from provisions. This definition was agreed at spending review. As part of the settlement, and to incentivise MOD to rationalise its asset base, MOD was provided with limited flexibility from 2006–07 to switch resources from non-cash to near-cash when non-cash savings are made which result from managed physical reductions in assets, or when non-cash savings result from management decisions to extend the life of an asset on value for money grounds.

Franked Investment Income

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the (a) net borrowing and (b) net taxes and national insurance contributions projections contained in the pre-Budget report make allowance for the forthcoming group litigation orders in the European Court of Justice on franked investment income tax rules.

Ivan Lewis: Consistent with the Code for Fiscal Stability, the PBR projections take into account the fiscal effects of all firm decisions announced in the PBR or since Budget 2005. Also consistent with the Code, the PBR projections do not take account of circumstances where the impact could not be quantified at the time with reasonable accuracy. The PBR document made it clear that the Government would continue to robustly defend the corporation tax system against legal challenges under EU law.

Mesothelioma

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list the 20 local authority areas with the highest male mesothelioma mortality levels in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  if he will list the 20 local authority areas with the highest female mesothelioma mortality levels in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the mortality rates from mesothelioma for (a) men and (b) women were in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available;
	(4)  what the number of deaths from mesothelioma for (a) men and (b) women in the UK was in the last year for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: Mesothelioma mortality rates are not readily available for individual years. However, mortality rates for local and unitary authorities (UAs) relative to the rate for Great Britain as a whole are available for the period 1996–2000. Rates are not available for Northern Ireland.
	For 1996–2000, the 20 local or unitary authorities with the highest levels of mortality for males, in order of statistical significance, are:
	West Dunbartonshire UA
	Barrow-In-Furness
	South Tyneside
	Plymouth UA
	Sunderland
	North Tyneside
	Portsmouth UA
	Barking and Dagenham
	Medway UA
	Southampton UA
	Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
	Gosport
	Renfrewshire UA
	Inverclyde UA
	Eastleigh
	Knowsley
	Wirral
	Hartlepool UA
	Crewe and Nantwich
	Glasgow City UA
	Similarly, the 20 unitary or local authorities with the highest levels of mortality for females are:
	Sunderland
	Leeds
	Swale
	Kirklees
	Barking and Dagenham
	Cherwell
	Castle Point
	Glasgow City UA
	Basildon
	West Dunbartonshire UA
	Eastleigh
	Southampton UA
	Erewash
	Gedling
	Medway UA
	Southwark
	Newham
	Carlisle
	North Tyneside
	Hillingdon
	Mesothelioma mortality rates for London boroughs relative to the rate for Great Britain as a whole for the period 1996–2000 for males and females are given in the following table. An area with a relative rate above 100 indicates a higher rate of mortality than for Great Britain as a whole; conversely an area with a rate below 100 has a lower rate than Great Britain as a whole.
	
		
			  Males Females 
			  Number of deaths Mortality rate relative to GB Number of deaths Mortality rate relative to GB 
		
		
			 Newham 31 177 6 233 
			 Tower Hamlets 10 66 4 195 
			 Lewisham 27 131 3 91 
			 Wandsworth 24 117 1 30 
			 Southwark 19 97 7 235 
			 Islington 9 62 1 46 
			 Camden 14 84 1 40 
			 Westminster, City of 17 95 1 38 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 7 54 4 197 
			 Hackney 5 33 2 91 
			 Haringey 10 60 0 0 
			 Lambeth 15 76 3 102 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4 28 4 181 
			 City of London 1 119 0 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham 44 266 9 332 
			 Havering 39 142 5 117 
			 Hillingdon 35 143 7 184 
			 Greenwich 28 142 4 123 
			 Bexley 30 123 4 107 
			 Redbridge 29 120 5 134 
			 Bromley 39 113 5 90 
			 Sutton 16 88 2 68 
			 Harrow 16 75 3 89 
			 Waltham Forest 21 109 6 197 
			 Ealing 23 86 0 0 
			 Enfield 27 100 7 165 
			 Merton 13 75 3 109 
			 Hounslow 14 74 3 106 
			 Barnet 20 63 5 99 
			 Croydon 24 76 4 83 
			 Brent 18 79 4 122 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 8 56 1 44 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 10 57 4 140 
		
	
	Source:
	HSE GB mesothelioma register
	The number of mesothelioma deaths in Northern Ireland, hence the total for the UK, is not available by sex. There were 1,922 mesothelioma deaths in total in the UK in 2003 (the most recent year for which data are available). Of these, 1,874 deaths occurred in Great Britain, of which 1,591 were among males and 283 among females.

Property Valuation (Scotland)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public sector organisation is responsible for the valuation of domestic properties in Scotland for (a) inheritance tax and (b) capital gains tax purposes.

Ivan Lewis: The Valuation Office Agency, an executive agency of HMRC.

Tax Harmonisation

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with EU counterparts on plans for tax harmonisation.

Ivan Lewis: The Government have made it clear that fair tax competition is the way forward for Europe, not proposals for tax harmonisation.

Vegetable Oils

Diane Abbott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the criteria are for classifying vegetable oils as (a) fuel substitutes and (b) bio-diesel.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming) on 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2265W.

Vegetable Oils

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's policy is on the taxation of vegetable oil when used in (a) modified and (b) unmodified form as a vehicle fuel.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming) on 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2265W.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department will make to training of the Afghan National and Border police; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Germany is responsible for co-ordinating international assistance to the Afghan Government's police reform programme. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will continue to contribute to these programmes through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP), jointly funded by the Department for International Development, FCO and the Ministry of Defence. Since 2002, the GCPP Afghanistan Strategy has contributed over £4 million to support police reform. The Strategy is examining several proposals for supporting police reform in financial year 2006–07, including the provision of trainers to the Regional Training Centre in Kandahar and mentors and advisers to police chiefs and Ministry of Interior senior officials in Kabul and Helmand. It is also considering how best to support the development of border security, including through the Afghan Border Police. Additionally, the UK is considering providing resources, support and mentoring for the Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) Provincial HQ in Lashkar Gah and to recruit, train and make operational a CNPA mobile detection team.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the composition will be of the Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board recommended in the Afghanistan Compact of 31st January 2006; what the UK's contribution will be to the board; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations are consulting with the international community on the composition of the Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board. We are very pleased that the Board is being established to facilitate co-ordination and monitoring in Kabul. We envisage a flexible and representative approach to its composition.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is providing to the Afghan Government to ensure establishment of (a) civil administration, (b) police, (c) prisons and (d) judiciary in the Afghan province of Helmand; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: As stated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence in his statement to the House on 26 January 2006, Official Report, column 1529, the UK presence in Helmand will be
	working to ensure that we provide Afghanistan with a seamless package of democratic, political, developmental and military assistance in Helmand".
	Envisaged Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) led activity includes building capacity in governance, security, economic and social development and counter-narcotics fields. This will include support to the Governor of Helmand, training, mentoring and advice to the police and judicial authorities, and institutional development advice and mentoring for the counter-narcotics police. The Department for International Development (DFID) and HM Revenue and Customs will be pursuing other activities. Detailed planning continues and will be informed by the deployments to Lashkar Gah of FCO and DFID staff scheduled for March 2006. It will also be necessary to support capacity-building and institutional reform programmes in the central Ministries in Kabul, to ensure that Afghan Government programmes give suitable priority to Helmand.

Afghanistan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to ensure the co-ordination of (a) military assistance, (b) non-military Government aid and (c) Government-funded work by non-governmental organisations with work of the Government of Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government of Afghanistan recently approved an Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy (I-ANDS) which sets out priorities for poverty reduction and economic growth, security and governance. To improve co-ordination of development efforts, the Government and the international community have committed themselves to taking forward the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness. The Afghanistan Compact, agreed by the Afghan Government and the international community at the London Conference on Afghanistan on 31 January, provides for the creation of a Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board to oversee all Afghan and international military and development assistance. This includes co-ordination of donor funds channelled through the Government, as well as work through non governmental organisations, in support of priorities set out in the Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy.
	There is a need for separate but coordinated military and development efforts. Military forces are primarily responsible for creating an enabling environment for development, leaving the Afghan Government and development agencies responsible for implementing development activities.

China

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China on internet viruses and attempts through internet fraud that emanate from China to obtain confidential data from public and commercial bodies in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not raised this issue with the Chinese authorities.

Departmental Assets

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the items of departmental property worth over £100 that have been reported as (a) lost and (b) broken in the last 12 months.

Jack Straw: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Ex-Prisoners of War

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had since 2001 with the ex-Prisoners of War Association regarding compensation for British soldiers captured by Germany during the second world war who were subjected to forced labour.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not had discussions since 2001 with the ex-Prisoners of War Association regarding compensation for British soldiers held in Germany during the second world war.
	The Government are satisfied that British servicemen detained as prisoners of war by the Germans do not fall within the category of forced labourers. A small number of British servicemen detained in Nazi concentration camps received compensation under a special fund paid for by the Germans in the 1960s to victims of Nazi ideology.

Freedom of Information Act

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what total sum has been received by his Department for the provision of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in its first year of operation.

Jack Straw: Nothing.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Government White Paper, Prospects for the European Union in 2006, what assessment he has made of the steps necessary to be taken at this stage by the UN Security Council in order to reinforce the authority of International Atomic Energy Agency resolutions regarding Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The purpose of involving the United Nations Security Council in the question of Iran's nuclear programme is to reinforce the authority of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), while leaving the door open for related diplomatic efforts and negotiations. Our objective is to ensure that both the Security Council, with its primary responsibility for matters of international peace and security, and the IAEA can contribute to the resolution of the issue within their competencies.

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights spending on the promotion of human rights and the rule of law in Iran.

Kim Howells: The EU has allocated around €4.4 million to projects in Iran under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. Three projects, to which the EU has allocated a total of €2.9 million, are implemented by UN agencies. A further €1 million project was launched in January 2005.

Iran

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the capability of Iran to deliver nuclear weapons in the event of their being developed.

Kim Howells: Iran claims that its Shabab 3 ballistic missiles are capable of reaching Israel. Information relating to Iran has been made available to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suggesting that Iran may be designing a missile re-entry vehicle which could have a military nuclear dimension. Iran has refused to address this information with the IAEA.

Mr. Ahmed Saardat

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the basis is for UK/US monitoring of the detention of Ahmed Saardat of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; what assessment he has made of the reported declaration by Hamas that it would release Mr. Saardat; whether he plans to make changes in UK arrangements for the monitoring of this detention; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Ahmed Saadat is one of the six Palestinian detainees held by the Palestinian Authority in Jericho as part of the 2002 Ramallah Agreement with Israel. The US/UK role is simply to monitor the terms of this agreement and to report any non-compliance. The Ramallah Agreement states that any changes in the status of the detainees should be agreed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

New Delhi Declaration

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made since the 2002 New Delhi Declaration in strengthening ties between the UK and India.

Kim Howells: Britain's bilateral relations with India are stronger than they have ever been. India is and will continue to be a key strategic partner for this country. Since the 2002 New Delhi Declaration was signed, there has been a wide range of initiatives and two-way visits focused on developing this partnership. My right hon. Friend the Prime Ministers' Initiative, signed on 20 September 2004 during Manmohan Singh's visit to the UK, set out a new strategic partnership between the UK and India. The text of this is available at: http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1101400864001. Under this rubric, the two Governments have established the Joint Economic and Trade Committee to remove blockages to bilateral trade and services. This met most recently at Secretary of State level at the end of January 2006. The same initiative established also the Economic and Financial Dialogue, inaugurated in February 2005 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his Indian opposite number.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister held a bilateral summit with Manmohan Singh in Delhi in September 2005. My right hon. Friend announced £10 million funding for UK-India Education and Research initiative. He also announced an enhanced Air Services Agreement under which direct services between the UK and India will quadruple. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was accompanied by a delegation of senior British CEOs.
	The UK is conducting a major public diplomacy initiative in India, launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in Delhi, to change perceptions of the UK and promote better understanding of our modern, innovative, integrated society. Other bodies active in promoting the bilateral relationship include the Indo British Partnership Network and the UK-India Round Table.
	A detailed overview on the current state of Indo/UK relations is available at: http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1017170902405

Palestinian Election

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the outcome of the recent Palestinian legislative elections for the European Commission and European Investment Bank's package to support economic regeneration in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Kim Howells: We fully support the statements of the Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) and EU Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 30 January. The Council concluded that it
	'expects the newly elected Palestinian Legislative Council to support the formation of a Government committed to a peaceful and negotiated solution of the conflict with Israel based on existing agreements and the Roadmap as well as to the rule of law, reform and sound fiscal management. On this basis the European Union stands ready to continue to support Palestinian economic development and democratic state building.'

Pingat Jasa Medal

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have held with Malaysian Government officials since September 2005 on the award of the Pingat Jasa medal; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Neither I nor my ministerial colleagues have had any discussions on this subject with Malaysian Government officials since September 2005. The British high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur had discussions with senior Malaysian officials about the Pingat Jasa medal in September and October 2005. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials had meetings with officials in the Malaysian high commission on 25 October, 18 November, 20 December 2005, and 1 February. There have also been several exchanges of correspondence and telephone calls between officials and members of the Malaysian high commission since September 2005.
	My hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, Inward Investment and Foreign Affairs, Ian Pearson, made a written ministerial statement on the Pingat Jasa medal in this House on 31 January 2006, Official Report, column 11WS.

Pingat Jasa Medal

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Royal British Legion on the wearing of the Pingat Jasa medal since September 2005.

Jack Straw: Neither I nor my officials have had any discussions with the Royal British Legion on the wearing of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal.

Somalia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union on it launching a mission to Somalia.

Ian Pearson: Officials in Addis Ababa and Nairobi have had frequent discussions with their African Union (AU) contacts about a possible Peace Support Operation in Somalia, most recently on 31 January 2006.
	The UN Security Council has welcomed the readiness of the AU to support the establishment of a functioning central Government in Somalia, including by possible deployment of a Peace Support Operation (PSO). The Council emphasised that a prerequisite for any PSO should be a detailed mission plan, endorsed by the Transitional Federal Institutions, on the basis of a national security and stabilisation plan, spelling out ceasefire arrangements, and the precise role of a PSO.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to make its financial support to the Government of Sudan conditional on a substantial and rapid decline in military spending; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The Government continues to press Sudan to fully implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed on 9 January 2005, which commits both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army to the downsizing of all their forces, following the completion of the comprehensive cease-fire agreements. We are supporting the World Bank in undertaking a public expenditure review which is examining military spending.
	We have not linked our development and humanitarian assistance to the level of military spending by Sudan but have, for example, made clear that we will not proceed on areas such as debt relief until there has been a substantial improvement to the situation in Darfur.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in imposing targeted sanctions in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The Panel of Experts established under UN Security Council Resolution 1591 presented their report and recommendations to the Sanctions Committee on 23 December 2005. Discussions on the Panel's recommendations, including on the imposition of sanctions on individuals, continue in the Sanctions Committee in New York. We are pressing for swift action on the Panel's recommendations.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what direct support his Department has provided to the government of Sudan to improve policing in the Darfur region; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The UK has contributed six police experts to the EU's civilian policing mission to the African Union mission in Darfur (AMIS), including the EU appointed Police Head of Mission. These experts are based in Darfur and at the AU HQ in Addis Ababa; their role is to help build civilian policing capacity, through support to the chain of command, pre-deployment training and training courses for trainers. These experts also assist AMIS civilian police in their role working alongside Government of Sudan police in Darfur.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with colleagues in (a) NATO and (b) the UN on supplementing the African Union Mission in Sudan.

Ian Pearson: We have regular discussions with both NATO and the UN on supporting the African Union Mission in Darfur (AMIS). NATO continues to do so through the provision of training, capacity building and airlift such as the troop rotation currently in progress. The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) liaises closely with AMIS and has undertaken joint activities on the ground in Darfur, such as training in policing and operational planning. We welcome the African Union's (AU) decision at the 12 January Peace and Security Council expressing support in principle to handing over its monitoring mission in Darfur to the UN. We will continue to encourage both the UN and NATO to cooperate closely with the AU to promote stability and security in Darfur.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the effectiveness of the African Union force in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: We regularly discuss the African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan (AMIS) with our EU counterparts. The UK and other international partners, including the EU, also recently participated in a joint assessment mission with the AU to examine the effectiveness of AMIS. We believe that AMIS does a good job in difficult circumstances, but have made clear that we stand ready to help the AU implement the recommendations of the assessment mission's report and further improve the effectiveness of the mission.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with counterparts in (a) NATO and (b) African Union member countries regarding the expiry of the African Union's mandate in Darfur in March.

Jack Straw: We welcome the African Union's (AU) decision at the 12 January Peace and Security Council (PSC) expressing support in principle to handing over its monitoring mission in Darfur (AMIS) to the UN. The PSC recommended that this decision be approved by AU Foreign Ministers before the end of the current AMIS mandate in March 2006. We regularly discuss AMIS with NATO and AU member countries, and are pressing the AU to convene the Foreign Ministers meeting as soon as possible. AMIS's mandate will need to be further extended even if there is firm agreement that the United Nations should take over the force, as time will be required to prepare for handover.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what practical assistance his Department has given to the African Union mission in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The UK has committed £19 million funding this financial year to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). This brings our total contribution to AMIS, since its inception, to almost £32 million. We are using this money to provide equipment including the purchase of a further 460 vehicles in addition to our original 450, as well as military and civilian policing advice, expertise and training. Some of our contribution has also funded airlift of troops into Darfur, and further troop rotation this year. The UK will continue to support AMIS during its deployment, and the AU-led mediation of the Abuja peace talks on Darfur.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give local communities a formal means of (a) requesting and (b) monitoring whether action is taken against antisocial behaviour.

Hazel Blears: The Government recognise that tackling antisocial behaviour is not the responsibility of police and local authorities alone but acting with other key agencies in partnership together. To tackle such behaviour effectively, local agencies need to listen to, act upon community concerns and priorities and report back on what has been done.
	The Police and Justice Bill, contains provisions for the Community Call for Action which was first announced in the Police Reform White Paper. This is a way for local communities to demand a response from agencies to persistent local community safety or antisocial behaviour problems, via an approach to their ward councillor. The Bill extends the remit of local authority overview and scrutiny committees to consider community safety issues, and the councillor will be able to refer particularly difficult matters raised in this way to the committee. Crime and disorder reduction partnerships will have to respond to any report of the scrutiny committee, and to explain any decision not to take action.

Asylum/Immigration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 30 January (PQ31458), how many of the 5,385 principal asylum applicants considered on another Family ILR application were granted indefinite leave to remain; and how many dependants of these principal applicants have also been granted indefinite leave to remain in each of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: The requested information is not available. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
	Information on asylum applications and initial decisions are published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Asylum/Immigration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the latest Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics, how many dependants there are in respect of (a) the 9,390 main applicants awaiting an initial examination and (b) the 11,895 main applicants awaiting a decision under the family indefinite leave to remain exercise of 24 October 2003.

Tony McNulty: The requested Information is not available. One of the aims of the one-off exercise is to reconcile records held on older family applications. While good information is often held on main applicants, up-to-date data on their dependants is frequently missing.

Asylum/Immigration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the latest Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics, how many of the 4,430 applicants found to be ineligible under the family indefinite leave to remain exercise of 24 October 2003 have subsequently (a) had an asylum application granted, (b) had an asylum claim refused, (c) otherwise been granted leave to remain in the UK and (d) been removed from the UK.

Tony McNulty: The requested Information is not available. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
	Information on asylum applications and initial decisions are published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at: http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum/Immigration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the applicants under the Government's family indefinite leave to remain exercise of 24 October 2003 have been identified as being the subject of a possible third country removal; and how many of them have subsequently been removed to a third country.

Tony McNulty: The requested Information is not available. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Asylum/Immigration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the latest Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics, what the main reasons were for refusal of the 7,405 refused applicants under the Government's family indefinite leave to remain exercise of 24 October 2003; and how many of these applicants subsequently (a) had an asylum application granted, (b) had an asylum application refused, (c) were otherwise granted leave to remain and (d) were removed from the UK.

Tony McNulty: Over the last six months, the reasons for refusal under the exercise are given in the following table.
	This information is based on internal management information and as such is not published within the official statistics.
	Regarding subsequent decisions on applicants who have been refused under the exercise, the requested Information is not available. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
	Information on asylum applications and initial decisions are published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at: http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 No qualifying dependants (either born outside qualification dates or none on claim) 27 
			 Already granted indefinite leave to remain (outside the scope of the exercise) 24 
			 Unspent criminal conviction 15 
			 Asylum application made after 14 
			 Other 20

Asylum/Immigration

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications of the political instability in the Ivory Coast for his policy of repatriation of Ivorian asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Asylum decision-makers take into account the human rights situation in the country of origin of each asylum applicant when making a decision on an asylum claim. Every effort is made to establish each individual applicant's personal circumstances and full basis of claim before a final decision is made.
	We continuously monitor the situation in all asylum intake countries including the Ivory Coast taking into account information from a wide range of recognised and respected governmental and non-governmental organisation sources as well as current news reports. We will continue to monitor the situation in Ivory Coast but there is currently no indication that conditions are such that we should change our policy of seeking to remove those who have been found, on an individual assessment, have no protection needs or other basis of stay in the United Kingdom.

Asylum/Immigration

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers whose applications were refused since 1992 were originally from (a) Afghanistan, (b) Kosovo, (c) Iraq, (d) European Community states, (e) European Accession states, (f) Latin America, (g) Asia and (h) Africa.

Tony McNulty: The following table show refusals of asylum at initial decision for nationals of Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, EU Accession states (excludes Malta), Americas (includes small numbers from USA and Canada), Far East and Africa from 1992 to September 2005 where available. It is impossible to determine whether these nationals were originally from these countries or areas.
	Refusals of asylum for nationals of EU countries (prior to the inclusion of the EU Accession states in May 2004) could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	Information on asylum initial decisions is published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Refusals1, 2 of asylum, exceptional leave, discretionary leave and humanitarian protection in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1992 to September 2005
		
			 Number of refusals of principal applicants 
			  1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 10 25 10 40 50 75 65 
			 Kosovo n/a n/a n/a n/a 255 15 130 
			 Iraq 40 30 45 50 60 110 90 
			 EU Accession states(17) n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,445 2,335 3,035 
			 Africa 14,550 6,675 7,695 11,155 15,950 11,740 5,465 
			 Americas(18) 45 115 555 435 710 1,385 1,905 
			 Far East 2,615 2,405 4,825 5,750 9,475 9,225 7,335 
		
	
	
		Number of refusals of principal applicants
		
			  1999(15) 2000(16) 2001 2002 2003 2004(19) 2005(19) 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 90 1,515 2,545 3,300 3,375 2,225 755 
			 Kosovo 130 6,460 4,845 1,215 820 625 245 
			 Iraq 100 2,220 6,315 2,995 4,580 4,615 1,475 
			 EU Accession states(17) 1,375 6,360 3,515 2,960 560 235 25 
			 Africa 2,875 11,780 21,020 17,745 18,825 14,730 6,735 
			 Americas(18) 350 2,900 1,885 1,770 1,835 810 380 
			 Far East 4,415 21,600 25,010 16,415 14,960 10,245 4,690 
		
	
	(13) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
	(14) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals, or other subsequent decisions.
	(15) Excludes cases where an application has been refused under the backlog criteria.
	(16) May include some cases where an application has been refused under the backlog criteria.
	(17) EU Accession states excludes Malta.
	(18) Americas include small numbers from USA and Canada.
	(19) Provisional figures.
	Source:
	Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office, Asylum Statistics

Asylum/Immigration

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) asylum and (b) immigration applications were outstanding on 2 May 1997.

Tony McNulty: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate does not publish data on historical Immigration backlogs but I can confirm that the number of asylum applications awaiting initial decision as at the end of April 1997 was 54,020.

Asylum/Immigration

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage asylum applications have changed in each year since 1992.

Tony McNulty: The following table shows asylum applications, excluding dependants, from 1992 to 2004 including the percentage change from the previous year.
	Information on asylum applications is published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Percentage change in applications(20) received for asylum in the UK, excluding dependants, 19922004
		
			 Number of principal applicants 
			  Applications received Percentage change from previous year 
		
		
			 1992 24,605  
			 1993 22,370 -9 
			 1994 32,830 47 
			 1995 43,965 34 
			 1996 29,640 -33 
			 1997 32,500 10 
			 1998 46,015 42 
			 1999 71,160 55 
			 2000 80,315 13 
			 2001 71,025 -12 
			 2002 84,130 18 
			 2003 49,405 -41 
			 2004(21) 33,960 -31 
		
	
	(20) Figures, other than percentages, are rounded to the nearest 5.
	(21) Provisional

Asylum/Immigration

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications were refused in each year since 1992.

Tony McNulty: Information on asylum applications and initial decisions are published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://home office.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum/Immigration

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK for each year since 1992, broken down by country of origin.

Tony McNulty: The latest published information on persons granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom by nationality is shown in the annual command paper Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom,2004. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

British Citizenship Test

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) Ministers and (b) section of his Department are responsible for making the arrangements for the provision of British citizenship tests.

Tony McNulty: As Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality this falls within my remit. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Social Policy Unit oversees arrangements for citizenship testing in conjunction with the Nationality Group.

British Citizenship Test

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time was for a British citizenship test in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The average waiting time for a citizenship test is currently less than two weeks. Under the terms of their service level agreement with Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Ufi are required to offer 80 percent. of candidates an appointment to take the life in the UK test within four weeks of their initial request and 98 percent. within eight weeks.

British Citizenship Test

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which the capacity for British citizenship tests is sufficient to meet the demand.

Tony McNulty: An initial assessment of the necessary testing capacity, based on the published statistics for persons seeking British citizenship, was made prior to the introduction of tests on 1 November 2005. An appropriate number and geographical spread of test centres was identified and their ability to meet demand is constantly monitored. So far, there have been no reports of test centres failing to meet their target of offering 80 percent. of candidates an initial test date within four weeks and 98 percent. within eight weeks of their request.

Charles Munyaneza

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  for what reasons Charles Munyaneza was granted refugee status and unlimited leave to remain in the UK;
	(2)  if he will reconsider the granting of unlimited leave for Charles Munyaneza to remain in the UK.

Tony McNulty: It is not our policy to comment on individual cases and I cannot therefore provide information on the specific details of this case.

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many (a) children and (b) adults have been charged with the offence of making and possessing indecent images of a child under the age of 18 years under section 1(1) (1A) of the Protection of Children Act 1999 in each year since 2000;
	(2)  how many adults have been charged with the offence of making and possessing indecent images of a child under the age of 18 years under section 1(1) (1A) of the Protection of Children Act 1999, in households where children have been charged for the same offence, in each year since 2000.

Paul Goggins: Data on the number of adults and juveniles proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences related to the making and possession of indecent images of a child under the age of 18 years in England and Wales for the years 2000 to 2004, are provided in the following table. It is not possible to identify whether defendants live in households where children have been charged with the same offence as the circumstances of the defendants are not centrally collected.
	Data for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences related to the possessing or making indecent images of children, by age group, England and Wales, 200004
		
			 Offence: Take, permit to be taken or to make distribute or publish indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children 
			 Statute: Protection of Children Act 1978 s.1 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 s.84 
			  Age group 
			  Aged 1017 Aged 18 and over 
		
		
			 2000 3 281 
			 2001 4 394 
			 2002 11 571 
			 2003 18 1,446 
			 2004 19 1,078 
		
	
	
		Offence: Possession of an indecent photograph of a child
		
			 Statute: Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 160 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Services Act 2000, section 41(3). (previously 181/06) 
			  Age group 
			  Aged 1017 Aged 18 and over 
		
		
			 2000 1 128 
			 2001 2 124 
			 2002 1 155 
			 2003 9 317 
			 2004 3 197 
		
	
	Note:
	These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 5 September 2005, from the hon. Member for Aylesbury to the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality about the case of Mr. S. S. of Aylesbury (reference S1081532; MI4464/5).

Tony McNulty: I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 7 February.

Criminal Records Bureau

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors determine the amount of time taken by the Criminal Records Bureau to process (a) an enhanced and (b) a standard check.

Andy Burnham: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) aims to complete all disclosure applications within the shortest time possible, but recognise that there may be some applications which take longer than others to complete. Factors that may influence the time taken to process applications include, but are not restricted to, incomplete or inaccurate application forms that require further information from the applicant or counter-signatory; the existence of criminal record information or other relevant non-conviction information and, for enhanced disclosures, the performance of disclosure units within police forces.

Criminal Records Bureau

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how long on average it took to complete an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what proportion of standard Criminal Record Bureau checks were processed within two weeks in 2005;
	(3)  what proportion of enhanced Criminal Record Bureau checks were processed within four weeks in 2005.

Andy Burnham: Data concerning the average time taken to complete a disclosure are not a performance target and are not routinely collated by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). However, the bureau has calculated that during 2005 it took on average 31.5 days to complete all enhanced disclosures; although this figure does include time out with the customer, where applications were returned for correction or clarification. In such circumstances the CRB cannot control when an application will be returned in a fit condition to be completed.
	The CRB operates to a set of published service standards (PSS), which are to process 93 per cent. of standard disclosure applications within two weeks and 90 per cent. of enhanced disclosure applications within four weeks. The proportion of standard checks completed within PSS was 99.4 per cent. and the proportion of enhanced checks completed within PSS was 85.5 per cent.
	For enhanced disclosures, CRB are expected to complete their part of the checking process in 90 per cent. of cases in 12 days before referring these applications to local police forces for them to complete their part of the checking process against local intelligence databases. The CRB has consistently exceeded its targets in processing disclosures up to the point at which they are referred to police forces. In December 2005, the latest period for which information is available, CRB processed 95.8 per cent. of valid enhanced applications to the police within six days of receipt. This has provided forces with considerably more time to complete their checks within the PSS.
	In 2005, the bureau received 293,615 standard disclosures and 2,443,207 enhanced disclosures.

Criminal Records Bureau

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) standard and (b) enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks were failed during 2005.

Andy Burnham: The information requested by my hon. Friend is not available from the Criminal Records Bureau. It is solely a matter for a recruiting organisation to determine whether information revealed on a standard or enhanced disclosure indicates that an individual is unsuitable for a position.
	However, a CRB-commissioned MORI customer research programme showed that in 2004, over 20,000 unsuitable people were prevented from gaining access to children or vulnerable adults, as a direct result of CRB checks. Many more unsuitable people were deterred from applying to work with children and the vulnerable as a direct result of a requirement for a CRB check.

Detention Centres

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people held in detention centres have died from (a) AIDS, (b) tuberculosis and (c) hepatitis since 2000.

Tony McNulty: Since 2000, no one in immigration detention has died from these illnesses.

DNA Profiles

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2006, Official Report, columns 111112W, on DNA profiles, how many people over the age of 18 are on the DNA database who have never been charged or cautioned; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: On 1 December 2005, there were 124,347 persons on the national DNA database who had been arrested and had a DNA sample taken and who had subsequently not been charged or cautioned for any offence. Of these, 100,179 persons were over the age of 18 and 24,168 were under 18 years of age.

DNA Profiles

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2006, Official Report, columns 111112W, on DNA profiles, if he will break down the 24,000 cases by constabulary.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Number of persons aged under 18 on the national DNA database who have been arrested for a recordable offence and subsequently not charged or cautioned.
		
			 Organisation Number 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 74 
			 Bedfordshire 58 
			 Cambridgeshire 498 
			 Cheshire 339 
			 City of London police 17 
			 Cleveland 156 
			 Cumbria 444 
			 Derbyshire 597 
			 Devon and Cornwall 28 
			 Dorset 322 
			 Durham 504 
			 Dyfed-Powys 263 
			 Essex 1,217 
			 Gloucestershire 381 
			 Greater Manchester police 2,099 
			 Gwent 96 
			 Hampshire 772 
			 Hertfordshire 835 
			 Humberside 17 
			 Kent 1,338 
			 Lancashire 1,041 
			 Leicestershire 503 
			 Lincolnshire 234 
			 Merseyside 80 
			 Metropolitan police 3,538 
			 Norfolk 125 
			 North Wales 372 
			 North Yorkshire 323 
			 Northamptonshire 364 
			 Northumbria 458 
			 Nottinghamshire 400 
			 South Wales 459 
			 South Yorkshire 1,112 
			 Staffordshire 789 
			 Suffolk 24 
			 Surrey 338 
			 Sussex 644 
			 Thames Valley 102 
			 Warwickshire 52 
			 West Mercia 5 
			 West Midlands 2,152 
			 West Yorkshire 733 
			 Wiltshire 265 
			 TOTAL 24,168

DNA Profiles

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why DNA profiles collected from those arrested but not charged of any offence are retained.

Andy Burnham: Taking a DNA sample (and fingerprints) from someone who has been arrested for a Recordable offence and detained in a police station is now part of the normal process within a police Custody Suite. It is no different to recording other forms of information such as photographs, witness statements etc.
	Early research has shown that sampling persons who have been arrested but not proceeded against has yielded a match with a crime scene in over 3,000 offences. These links may never have been made had the police not been given powers to take and retain samples on arrest. Retention of the DNA profile on the National DNA Database may prove to be vitally important in the event of that person committing a crime in the future.

Identity Cards/Verification

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposed powers in the Identity Cards Bill he plans to use to facilitate data sharing between the identity card database and other public sector databases.

Andy Burnham: The Identity Cards Bill includes provisions in clause 11 to enable information to be required from public sector or other organisations to validate National Identity Register entries. The Bill also allows for information to be provided from the National Identity Register to public sector or other organisations under clause 14, with the individual's consent, and to public authorities under clause 17 for identity checks as a condition of the provision of public services and under clauses 19 to 23, without the individual's consent, for specified purposes such as the prevention or detection of crime. Apart from the provision of information with consent under clause 14, and unless named on the face of the Bill, the particular public authority will need the approval of Parliament via secondary legislation.

Identity Cards/Verification

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2005, Official Report, column 1610W, on identity cards, what level of risk has been identified through his Department's consultations on methods of fooling biometric readers; what has been learnt from his communication with other schemes that are using biometrics with identity cards; and what types of biometrics are used by those other schemes.

Andy Burnham: There is a broad consensus arising from reviews of reputable scientific literature, consultations with anti-fraud and biometric experts as well as communication with other biometrics schemes. It indicates that supervision of the enrolment process and the implementation of anti-spoofing technologies can counter the spoofing of a biometric which in any case is very difficult to achieve. Furthermore, these consultations also indicate that the use of multiple biometrics, as envisaged in the Identity Card Scheme, will provide further protection.
	As noted in the answer of 19 July 2005, the Identity Card Scheme will have a supervised enrolment process and the systems proposed by the various manufacturers during procurement, to meet the scheme requirements, will be rigorously tested to ensure risks from fake biometrics are adequately mitigated. Work with experts and other schemes to counter such threats will continue through this process. Such issues will also be independently scrutinised in order for the Scheme to achieve official security accreditation.
	The Scheme is consulting with biometric identity card and border control schemes that use, or propose to use, facial, fingerprint or iris biometrics as part of their operations.

Identity Cards/Verification

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with EU counterparts on the development of biometric passports and identity cards; and what representations have been made by (a) business and (b) IT companies on security issues in relation to mechanisms for identity verification.

Andy Burnham: The security of EU travel documents and passports is an important issue and there have been a number of discussions with EU counterparts on the matter. The UK has participated regularly in discussions with member states in EU working and technical groups concerning the development of biometric passports.
	The Council regulation on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by member states requires biometric facial identifiers to be included in passports by August 2006. It is anticipated that the Council will shortly make a decision on the date from which biometric fingerprints should also be included in passports.
	The UK has been excluded from the regulation but we are mirroring the provision and challenging our exclusion in the European Court of Justice. The Home Office has not received any representations from IT companies or businesses on mechanisms for identity verification in regard to e-passports. Identity cards have been discussed at bi-lateral meetings with Justice and Interior Ministers of several EU states. In December 2005 the Justice and Home Affairs Council, acting intergovernmentally, adopted Council Conclusions on common minimum security standards for national identity cards which encompass the inclusion of biometric identifiers. The Identity Cards Programme has held individual meetings with over 90 commercial organisations during the course of consultations and market sounding on ID cards, and has engaged with many more organisations at conferences and other market events. These interactions have been carried out in accordance with procurement guidelines and best practice established by the Office for Government Commerce and most have been facilitated through working with Intellect, a UK based ICT trade association with over 1,000 members. Most of these organisations have commented in some way on security aspects of the scheme and several have commented on more specific operational and technology issues including security issues related to identification and verification. In particular, in October 2004 the programme ran a seminar specifically on verification issues and in December 2004 ran a seminar on security. Both of these seminars would have included representations on security issues related to verification. The seminars were hosted by Intellect. There were 35 commercial organisations represented at the verification event and 51 at the security event. A list of those represented is as follows:
	Verification seminar, 14 October 2004
	3M Health Care Ltd.
	Advantage Business Group
	ARM Ltd.
	Atkins Management Consultants
	Bayer Polymers
	BT Group plc
	Computacenter (UK) Ltd.
	CSC
	ECA
	EDS
	EMEA Architects Office
	Entrust (Europe) Ltd.
	FFW
	Fujitsu Services Ltd.
	Giesecke  Devrient GB Ltd.
	IBM United Kingdom Ltd.
	LogicaCMG plc
	Mantix Ltd.
	Marconi Selenia Communications Ltd.
	Methods Consulting Ltd.
	National Identity Cards
	Nortel Networks Ltd.
	Novell UK
	Oberthur Card Systems Ltd.
	OGCbuying.solutions
	Oracle Corporation UK Ltd.
	Ovum Ltd.
	PCCW (Europe)
	Sagem Communications UK Ltd.
	Senselect Ltd.
	Tata Consultancy Services
	TIBCO
	Triad Group plc
	Unisys Ltd.
	URU Technologies UK Ltd.
	Security seminar, 10 December 2004
	3M Health Care Ltd.
	Accenture (UK) Ltd.
	Advantage Business Group
	ARM Ltd.
	Atkins Management Consultants
	Bayer Polymers
	BT Group plc
	Charteris plc
	Cornwell Management Consultants plc
	CSC
	Daon
	Desborough Associates
	Detica Ltd.
	Digimarc ID Systems
	Eads Defence Security Systems Ltd.
	Ecebs Ltd.
	EDS
	EMEA Architects Office
	Entrust (Europe) Ltd.
	Experian Ltd.
	Fujitsu Services Ltd.
	Giesecke  Devrient GB Ltd.
	Hewlett Packard Ltd.
	IBM United Kingdom Ltd.
	LaserCard Systems
	LINK Interchange Network Ltd.
	LogicaCMG plc
	MAOSCO Ltd.
	Marconi Selenia Communications Ltd
	Methods Consulting Ltd.
	National Identity Cards
	Nortel Networks
	Northrop Grumman Information Technology Ltd.
	Oberthur Card Systems Ltd
	Oracle Corporation UK Ltd.
	Ovum Ltd.
	PCCW (Europe)
	Sapior Ltd.
	Senselect Ltd.
	Serco Justice
	SiVenture
	Steria Ltd.
	Sun Microsystems Ltd.
	Syntegra Ltd.
	TIBCO
	Triad Group plc
	Unisys Ltd.
	URU Technologies UK Ltd.
	Vega Group plc
	Voca Ltd.
	Xansa plc

Illegal Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking in (a) Romford and (b) Havering to combat illegal immigration; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Operations are undertaken targeting those who are working here illegally.
	Operations are intelligence led. Any information received concerning Romford and the borough of Havering is considered according to priorities and operations set up as necessary.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to allocate a caseworker to the immigration application of Mr. M. P. B. of Aylesbury (reference B1082715).

Tony McNulty: Mr M. P. B. was granted discretionary leave to remain in this country for an initial period of three years on 2 February.

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the provisions of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill on the availability of low-skilled workers in the UK.

Tony McNulty: The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill is not directly concerned with regulating the admission of migrant workers. The Home Office has prepared regulatory impact assessments in respect of the Bill and these have been placed in the Library of the House. The Government have recently undertaken a consultation exercise on its proposals to introduce a point-based system to manage economic migration to the UK, including the admission of migrants to fill vacancies at low-skill levels. The Government's response to that consultation exercise will be published in due course.

IMPACT System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Impact police intelligence system is due to come into service.

Hazel Blears: The Impact programme remains on course to deliver a national police information sharing capability over the course of the next five years, as set out in the second progress report on the Bichard Inquiry recommendations published in November last year. The first deliverablethe Impact Nominal Indexwas made available in a Child Abuse Investigation Unit in each force in England and Wales on 23 December 2005.

IMPACT System

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the national police intelligence system, Impact.

Hazel Blears: Including spend by PITO during 200405, expenditure on the Impact programme to the end of December 2005 totalled 17.2 million.

Methylamphetamine

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to control access to the precursors of methamphetamine.

Paul Goggins: In November 2005 the Advisory Council on the misuse of drugs (ACMD) produced its report on methylamphetamine which included recommendations to control precursors of methylamphetamine.
	The ACMD recommended that the precursor chemicals red phosphorus and hydroiodic acid are added to the European drug precursor Legislation.
	I have accepted the recommendations in full and we are currently considering how to take these recommendations forward.
	Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are already controlled under European drug precursor legislation.

Methylamphetamine

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the street names by which methamphetamine is known.

Paul Goggins: The report on methylamphetamine by the Advisory Council on the misuse of drugs published in November 2005 identifies a number of street names used for the drug including;
	Crystal Ice
	GlassTina
	Christine Meth
	Crank Crystal
	Nazi crank
	In Thailand the substance is sometimes called Yaba (crazy drug), and Shabu in Philippines.
	The ACMD methylamphetamine report can be downloaded from www.drugs.gov.uk via the ACMD web pages.

Methylamphetamine

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has received from the police on the classification of methylamphetamine.

Paul Goggins: Two representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) are full members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and contribute their expertise and knowledge of policing issues to the council.
	One such representative was a member during ACMD's consideration of methylamphetamine, and was closely involved in, and supportive of, the recommendations made to the Government in the council's report. In addition, I am aware that ACPO are closely monitoring the situation regarding methylamphetamine in the UK and we will continue to seek the views of the police wherever appropriate.

National Asylum Support Service

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to review the work of the National Asylum Support Service.

Tony McNulty: An independent review was held into the operation of the National Asylum Support Service in early 2003. The implementation of the review's recommendations has been overseen by a steering group chaired by the director general of the Immigration and Nationality Department. The National Audit Office's report on 'The Provision of Accommodation for Asylum Seekers', published on 7 July 2005, identified improvements which had been made by NASS.
	There are no plans for a further review of the kind undertaken in 2003.

Police Finance (Hertfordshire)

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was at current prices of policing per head of population in Hertfordshire in (a) 199798, (b) 200405 and (c) 200506; and how much of this funding came from (i) council tax, (ii) police grant, (iii) national business rate, (iv) revenue support grant and (v) other funding sources in each year.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the table. The figures are not directly comparable because in April 2000 the area covered by the Hertfordshire police authority was increased as a result of a boundary change with the Metropolitan Police area.
	We do not distribute grant to police authorities purely on the basis of population. The police funding formula uses a range of socio-demographic data to reflect reasonably the relative needs of each authority. Grant allocations also take into account the relative resources of each authority. Grant allocations are stabilised by damping changes to limit year-on-year variations.
	
		Cost of policingHertfordshire
		
			  
			  Per head of population 
			  (i) Council tax (real terms) (ii) Home Office police grant (real terms) (iii) National non-domestic rates (real terms) (iv) Revenue support grant (real terms) (v) Other funding sources (real terms)(22) 
		
		
			 199798 24.59 63.55 23.16 15.91 6.41 
			 200405 46.22 63.70 13.62 23.86 16.46 
			 200506 47.55 64.66 15.87 21.56 18.42 
		
	
	(22) Figures of 'other' income provided by Hertfordshire police.
	Notes:
	1. Real terms at 200405 prices using GDP deflator at 23 December 2005.
	2. Approximately half the 'Other' funding for 200405 and 200506 is from Home Office specific grants.

Police Force Reconfiguration

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) his Department and (b) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for examining the impact of police force mergers in Norfolk on the system of police funding; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: A working group led by my Department with participation from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Welsh Assembly Government, HM Treasury and police representative bodies has been established to examine the financial aspects of reorganisation, including the impact of restructuring on budgets, grant and council tax.

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average daily sum spent by the Prison Service was on feeding adult (a) male and (b) female prisoners and (i) male and (ii) female prisoners in young offenders institutions in the last year for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: For 200405, the latest period for which data are available, the average public sector Prison Service daily food cost for adult males was 1.79.
	For male prisoners held in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) the figure was 2.26. The average figure for all female prisoners was 2.16. It is not possible to separately identify food costs for female adult and female young offenders as they are held in the same establishments. The differentiation in costs between adult males and male prisoners in YOIs mainly reflects the general recognition that young people require more vitamins and protein to ensure healthy growth.

Respect Agenda

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the implementation of the Government's Respect Agenda will affect the number of police working in Romford.

Hazel Blears: As part of the Respect Agenda, the Government have committed that, by 2008, every area will benefit from its own neighbourhood policing team. The Respect Agenda also supports the increase in number of PCSOs so that by 2008 there will be over 24,000 which will make a significant difference to policing in our communities. The Metropolitan police will benefit from the increase in PCSOs. The deployment of police officers to Romford is an operational matter for the Havering Borough Commander. The workforce total for the borough is determined annually by the Commissioner, subject to the budget set for the force by the Mayor of London.

Security Industry

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate the Security Industry Authority (SIA) has made of the cost of the security industry regulation to be delivered by the SIA;
	(2)  whether the Security Industry Authority has selected and is training eight assessment bodies to operate option four of the Approved Contractor Scheme as detailed in the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment;
	(3)  what the key criteria will be upon which the selection of an Approved Contractor Scheme for the private security industry will be based.

Paul Goggins: The private security industry has invested approximately 400 million in meeting the requirements of the Government regulations under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA).
	A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) went out to consultation on 25 August 2005 until 17 November (a period of 12 weeks). The SIA continued working to be ready to proceed with four options under the RIA included in the consultation. This work included a meeting with eight potential assessing bodies.
	Following analysis of the responses received from the RIA, Paul Goggins announced, on 12 January, that the Government had decided to introduce an Approved Contractor Scheme which would comprise elements of Options 3 and 4. Option 3 would require companies to possess one or more of a list of specified existing standards, and Option 4, would introduce a new standard defined by the Security Industry Authority. Further details about the shape of the scheme will be announced in due course.
	The estimated cost to the private security industry to implement a combination of Options 3 and 4 of the Approved Contractor Scheme ranges from between 2.0 million to 2.6 million per annum.

Special Branch

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what review of the size and structure of Special Branch he (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake.

Hazel Blears: The substantive resource allocation, in terms of staffing and associated costs, to Special Branch is the responsibility of Chief Officers in each force. The role of the National Co-ordinator of Special Branch is to set and promulgate Special Branch policy, set standards and codes of practice for Special Branch activity and quality assure its work nationally. As part of his role, the National Co-ordinator reviews and monitors the size and structure of Special Branches.
	Following the publication of the HMIC Thematic Inspection Report in 2003, Regional Intelligence Cells (RICs) were established and are now operating in all of the ACPO regions. More recently, the 'Closing the Gap' report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary recommended that the creation of strategic forces offered the best means for providing the Police Service with the necessary capacity and resilience to meet the threats posed by terrorism and organised crime.

Work Permits

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were granted through the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: The following table provides detail of the numbers of approvals under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) for each calendar year since the programme was launched in January 2002. These approvals allow individuals to apply either for leave to enter or leave to remain in the United Kingdom as highly skilled migrants.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2002 1,180 
			 2003 3,695 
			 2004 7,515 
			 2005 17,635 
			 Total 30,025 
		
	
	Note:
	This data are not provided under national statistics protocols. They have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. Figures have been rounded up to the nearest 5.

Work Permits

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual work permits were issued in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005; how many of these were (i) long-term permits of a year or more duration and (ii) short-term permits; how many of the short-term permits were in respect of the sector-based schemes; and how many (A) long-term and (B) short-term permits were issued to people who were already residing in the UK.

Tony McNulty: The total number of individual work permits issued in 2003, 2004 and 2005 is set out in table 1. Also included is the number of these permits issued with a fixed expiry date. It is not possible to determine the duration of these permits.
	The number of individual work permits issued in 2003, 2004 and 2005, for a period of a year or more and a period of less than a year, is set out in table 2. Also included is the number of Sectors Based Scheme (SBS) permits issued for a period of less than a year. These figures exclude any permits issued to a fixed expiry date.
	The number of individual work permits issued to people already in the UK in 2003, 2004 and 2005, for a period of a year or more and a period of less than a year is set out in table 3. Also included is the number of permits issued to people already in the UK that were issued to a fixed expiry date where it is not possible to determine how long they were issued for.
	(This data is not provided under National Statistics protocols. It has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.)
	
		Table 1
		
			  Number of permits issued Number of permits issued to a fixed expiry date 
		
		
			 2003 141,204 28,125 
			 2004 156,275 31,141 
			 2005 137,061 30,244 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			  Number of permits issued for a year or longer Number of permits issued for less than a year Number of SBS permits for less than a year 
		
		
			 2003 102,063 11,016 306 
			 2004 113,054 12,080 951 
			 2005 96,467 10,350 1,279 
		
	
	
		Table 3
		
			  Number of in-country permits issued for a year or longer Number of in-country permits issued for less than a year Number of in-country permits issued to a fixed expiry date 
		
		
			 2003 53,872 2,703 17,013 
			 2004 57,575 2,865 17,941 
			 2005 46,581 2,231 14,985

Worker Registration Scheme

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of workers from EU accession countries who are working within the United Kingdom but are not registered under the Worker Registration Scheme; on what basis he made the calculation of this figure; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: If an accession state worker (those from Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia) works in a job in the UK for 30 days or more, he or she is required to register on the Workers Registration Scheme (WRS) in order to be lawfully employed.
	However, all European Economic Area (EEA) nationals have a right of free movement and residence in the United Kingdom. Accession state nationals are not subject to immigration control, and if they are working for less than 30 days, have no requirement to register with the scheme.
	This means that an accession state national can be legally working in the UK without registration.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

British Beef Exports

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the EU to vote to lift the ban on the export of British beef; and for what reasons the ban has not been lifted thus far.

Ben Bradshaw: The European Commission's formal proposal to lift the ban is being considered by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). Provided there is no significant opposition, the Commission has promised to put its proposal to a vote at SCoFCAH on 8 March 2006. The earliest that the lifting of the ban could take place is mid-April.
	Previously, the Commission made clear that discussions on lifting the ban could only take place once the UK had satisfied two criteria. First, securing a reduction in the incidence of BSE below 200 cases per million adult cattle. Secondly, achieving a favourable outcome to the inspection of our BSE controls in June 2005 by the EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirmed, in March 2005, that the incidence of disease had declined sufficiently. And a satisfactory FVO mission report was published on 28 September 2005. Accordingly, the Commission opened discussions with member states on lifting the ban in November 2005, and made a formal written proposal in January 2006.

Carbon Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the displacement of carbon emissions has been achieved through the introduction of energy efficiency measures in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 23 January 2006
	An exercise has been carried for the household sector, for the period 1970 to 2001. The carbon changes are subject to a decomposition analysis into seven factors, two efficiency onesreduced losses from the building envelope, and improved heating system efficiencyand five others which drive emissions both up and downhousehold numbers, level of energy service demand (e.g. for comfort, hot water), external temperature, the carbon intensity of grid electricity, and fuel switching by households. The changes are presented in terms of tonnes of carbon rather than shares of the net change. The results for the three decades are shown graphically, for each complete decade, to illustrate the longer term effects of the different factors, and eliminate the shorter term annual fluctuations. The table gives the annual changes from 1997 to 2001. The graph will be placed in the Library.
	Defra is currently completing a separate exercise to develop energy efficiency indicators for the household sector, and plans to use these, together with decomposition analysis, to report in more detail on the achievements of its various policies. Comparable work on indicators for the Industry and Services sectors is also under way but at a less advanced stage since energy use is much more complex, and energy efficiency technical measures more numerous, than in the household sector.
	
		Components of carbon emission change (MtC)
		
			 Between years Household growth Level of service External temperature Building envelope heat loss Heating system efficiency Electricity Supply Industry factors Other carbon factor changes Total 
		
		
			 199798 0.32 1.03 -0.35 -0.08 -0.24 -0.17 0.78 1.30 
			 199899 0.35 1.02 0.56 -0.08 -0.81 -0.10 -1.47 -0.51 
			 19992000 0.24 1.02 0.03 -0.67 -0.50 -0.13 0.47 0.46 
			 200001 0.25 1.06 0.82 -0.76 -0.59 +1.42 1.02 3.22

Cattle Movements

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many animals have been involved in incidents of non-compliance with cattle movement orders since 2001; where these incidents occurred; and how many animals were involved in each case;
	(2)  what the percentage rate of compliance has been with the cattle movement order since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 6 February 2006
	A full breakdown of information on incidents of non-compliance is not available without disproportionate cost.
	However, 10 per cent. of all cattle holdings are inspected every year to ensure compliance with the requirements for cattle identification and reporting of movements set out in EC Regulation No 1760/2000 (implemented in domestic law by the Cattle Identification Regulations 1998 as amended).
	The results of these inspections are reported annually to the EU Commission. The following table provides the results of inspections between 200203 and 200405. The inspection programme for 200102 was halted because of the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
	
		
			   Percentage 
			  Rates of non-compliance overall Rates of non-compliance with cattle movement requirements 
		
		
			 200203 13.54 3.36 
			 200304 14.54 3.61 
			 200405 10.49 2.75 
		
	
	These figures are based on the total number of non-compliance incidents divided by the number of cattle that have been inspected. Some animals will be the source of more than one instance of non-compliance.
	In addition to these inspections, local authorities also undertake inspections of markets, hauliers and farms each year as part of their duty to enforce the cattle identification regulations. The results of these inspections are not held centrally.
	Guidance is available to keepers on the cattle identification and movement recording requirements. The British Cattle Movement Service has a national helpline to answer queries from keepers. Our enforcement authorities are active in correcting non-compliance whenever it is found, and co-operate fully with one another.

Civil Servants (Overseas Visits)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what costs were incurred by her Department as a result of sending civil servants on overseas visits in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: It is the policy of DEFRA, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies and, where appropriate, its sponsored organisations to make financial redress in accordance with the guidance set out in Chapter 18.7 and Annexes 18.1 and 18.2 of Government Accounting.
	Officials within the Department can confirm that all travel complied with the requirements of the civil service management code.
	The information you requested is set out in the following table:
	
		DEFRA
		
			  000 
		
		
			 200102 1,792 
			 200203 2,468 
			 200304 2,242 
			 200405 2,730

Conservation Areas

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when she expects to conclude bilateral biogeographic discussions with the European Commission on the designation of Bolton Fell Moss and Solway Moss as special areas of conservation;
	(2)  what scientific objections remain unresolved with regard to the candidature of Bolton Fell Moss and Solway Moss as special areas of conservation under the Habitats Directive;
	(3)  what representations she has received from peat extraction companies on Bolton Fell Moss and Solway Moss following English Nature's advice for these sites to become candidate special areas of conservation;
	(4)  what the expected timeframe is for concluding the designation of Bolton Fell Moss and Solway Moss as Special Areas of Conservation; and what steps she is taking to conclude the designations within the current financial year;
	(5)  what steps the Government is taking (a) to address the findings of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Condition Summary for Bolton Fell Moss and (b) to secure the notified conservation interest of the site and the Government's public service agreement target for SSSI condition.

Jim Knight: A meeting is being arranged with the European Commission to discuss the sufficiency of the UK list of degraded raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), including the merits of Solway Moss and Bolton Fell Moss. I hope that this will result in the Commission coming to its final view this summer.
	There are outstanding objections (including scientific ones) from the peat extraction operators on the criteria used for the selection of the two peat sites, principally concerning the composition of the topography and the restorability of the sites and their margins. English Nature is in discussion with the objectors to resolve these concerns.
	During the public consultation undertaken by English Nature on the proposal to designate these sites as Special Areas of Conservation for their degraded raised bog interest, objections were received from the peat extraction companies at each of the sites. Discussions aimed at resolving the objections included correspondence with the Secretary of State over the grounds for including these sites as Special Areas of Conservation.
	Given the complex nature of the objections raised about the candidature of Solway Moss and Bolton Fell Moss, it is not possible to give a definite date for their resolution and subsequent conclusion of the consultation. Once concluded, and if Bolton Fell Moss and Solway Moss are required to be included as part of the UK list of sites of degraded raised bog sites within the UK, these will be designated as candidate SACs immediately.
	Bolton Fell Moss Site of Special Scientific Interest has been assessed by English Nature as being in an unfavourable condition. As part of its overall work on the SSSI PSA target, which is to bring 95 per cent. of Sites of Special Scientific Interest into favourable condition by 2010, English Nature is identifying the works which need to be put in place, and by whom, to restore all unfavourable sites to a recovering or favourable condition. And it is in the process of discussing options to achieve this with interested parties. Overall the latest figures indicate that 70 per cent. of sites are now in favourable condition.

Cormorants

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences for the culling of cormorants were issued in England in 200506; how many cormorants were killed under licence in England in 200506; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) protects all wild birds. However, the Secretary of State has authority under section 16(1)(k) of the Act to grant licences to permit the killing of cormorants to prevent serious damage to fisheries. Licenses are only issued where DEFRA is satisfied that other non-lethal methods have been tried and found to be ineffective, and where there is no other satisfactory solution.
	Licences to shoot cormorants are normally issued for a limited period between 31 August and 15 April so we are still issuing licenses for the 200506 season. During the current licence period, 392 licences have been granted so far and 435 cormorants are recorded as having been killed.
	Further information on cormorants can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/piscivorous.htm

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual expenditure on vehicles of (a) her Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which her Department is responsible in each English region was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 200506.

Jim Knight: It is the policy of DEFRA, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies and, where appropriate, its sponsored organisations to make financial redress in accordance with the guidance set out in chapter 18.7 and annexes 18.1 and 18.2 of 'Government Accounting'.
	However, the information you requested relating to DEFRA's agencies, NDPB's and other bodies sponsored by DEFRA is not held centrally by the Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the Department holds records centrally for the whole of England only, it is not possible to provide the details requested for each English region.
	The historical expenditure on vehicles which the core Department has purchased or rented can be analysed as follows:
	
		
			000 
			 DEFRA 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Purchased vehicles:
			 Department 1,173 795 842 
			 Agencies
			 NDPBs
			 Bodies sponsored by Department
			 
			 Rented vehicles:
			 Department 1,119 108 228 
			 Agencies
			 NDPBs
			 Bodies sponsored by Department
		
	
	The planned expenditure on vehicles in 200506 within the core Department is not available due to expenditure budgets being held at a higher level than is being requested. Accordingly, this high level budget information would not be appropriate as a response to the question being asked.
	The expenditure in 200203, both for purchased and rented vehicles, is disproportionately high as a result of costs incurred by the Department in dealing with the foot and mouth outbreak.
	For details of expenditure on ministerial vehicles provided to the Department by the Government Car and Despatch Agency, I refer the hon. Member to the letter of 20 December 2005 from the chief executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker). Copies of this letter are available in the Library.

Departmental Transport

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2376W, on departmental transport, if she will place in the Library a copy of the site-wide notice to all staff and contractors issued on 15 December 2005.

Jim Knight: The notice to which the PQ is referring to, is published on the DEFRA intranet, and says the following:
	Guildford Office Notice 3705
	Parking Off Site
	It is clear that due to the shortage of parking facilities on the Guildford site, some staff and externals from the DEFRA site have been using local side streets for parking. There has been a significant increase in the number of complaints from the surrounding streets, including Down Road, Daryngton Drive, Carroll Avenue, Gateways, Broadwater Rise and Pitt Farm Road, over the last three months.
	DEFRA has a responsibility to be a good neighbour and this is an obligation that applies to us all. We therefore ask that staff from the Guildford site, should consider our neighbours when parking in local streets around the site. This means parking only where it is legal to do so and in a way that is reasonable and takes account of neighbours views. It also means parking in a way that does not block the road or access.
	There are a number of streets to the west of the site, towards Guildford Town Centre, that have controlled parking zones and the council plan to increase this in the near future. Wherever possible it would be helpful if you parked in these designated areas. Your co-operation in this matter is much appreciated.
	Accommodation Section
	This notice will expire on 31 December 2006.

Departmental Transport

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2376W, on departmental transport, what further steps she can take to stop staff and contractors from her Department's site on the Epsom Road, Merrow, Guildford continuing to park in residential roads.

Jim Knight: When Guildford Site Security report that there are potentially vehicles parked off-site, Defra are carrying out patrols in the local roads to try to identify vehicles which belong to IBM or Defra employees. Drivers or their line managers are then contacted and asked to move their vehicles even though these may be parked legally.
	Defra have also met with Guildford borough council and with Surrey county council, to see if it would be possible to join Surrey's Car Share Scheme. We are currently waiting for an update from Guildford borough council.
	Defra are also negotiating with a local bus company, along with Guildford borough council, to see if we can identify a possible site for a park and ride scheme.

EU Habitats Directive

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government plans to take to meet its obligations under the EU Habitats Directive.

Jim Knight: Preparations are under way to consult on amendments to legislation that transposes the directive to clarify its application. New regulations will also be introduced to extend the application of the directive to marine areas beyond our territorial seas.
	The UK has also done far more than most to address the policy objectives of the Habitats Directive (maintaining or restoring species and habitats favourable conservation status). We were the first country to designate and fully protect all 608 of its proposed special areas of conservation at the end of 2004. In addition, the Government have set itself a public service agreement (PSA) target of bringing 95 percent. of sites of special scientific interest into favourable condition by 2010. The latest figures indicate that 70 per cent. of sites are in favourable condition now.
	The UK has also taken significant action to protect marine biodiversity. We were the first country to identify a truly offshore special area of conservation, the Darwin Mounds, and worked through the Common Fisheries Policy to ensure damaging bottom-set trawling in the area was banned. In 2004 the UK unilaterally banned pair trawling for sea bass in its waters, which was widely blamed for high numbers of dolphin and porpoise deaths.

Forestry

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been allocated by the Forestry Commission for woodland creation schemes in each of the last three years; and what the allocation is for each of the next three years.

Jim Knight: The Forestry Commission has paid the following amounts in woodland creation grants over the last three years.
	
		
			 Financial year Cash payments ( million) 
		
		
			 200203 9.6 
			 200304 8.9 
			 200405 10.3 
		
	
	The payments in 200405 included a proportion of the 3 million additional funding made available to the Forestry Commission to meet existing commitments at a time of increased demand for grants.
	In the current year (200506) it is expected that the Forestry Commission will spend 6.4 million on woodland creation grants. The recent change of support mechanism from the Woodland Grant Scheme to the English Woodland Grant Scheme means that claims and most payments for work undertaken during the current planting season will not occur until April 2006. The allocation of funding for woodland creation in 200607 currently stands at 7.4 million and like the current planting season some claims and payments for work in the 200607 planting season will not be made until the following financial year.
	The allocation of funding for any Forestry Commission grants beyond 200607 has not been set, but the Commission will continue to meet the commitments made in its grant scheme contracts.

Forestry

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the woodland grant scheme is allocated to (a) woodland creation and (b) woodland management in 200506.

Jim Knight: The Forestry Commission expects to spend 6.4 million on woodland creation grants and 10.1 million on woodland management grants in the current financial year. This means that creation grants will make up around 40 per cent. of all grants.

Forestry

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of woodland in England is managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard.

Jim Knight: There is no requirement on woodland owners to provide details of the area that they manage in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard. However, a very large proportion of actively managed woodland in England receives support from the Forestry Commission through its grant scheme agreements or is subject to a felling licence issued by the Commission. Recipients of grants and felling licences are expected to meet the UK Forestry Standard. The public forest estate is also managed to the UK Forestry Standard and has been independently certified under the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme.
	The Forestry Commission estimates that the area of actively managed woodland in both public and private ownership that meets the UK Forestry Standard is 470,000 hectares, which is 42 per cent. of the woodland in England.

Forestry

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance is being prepared in relation to the Habitats Regulations following the recent European Court decision.

Jim Knight: Preparations are under way to consult on amendments to legislation that transposes the Habitats Directive in the UK to clarify its application and we are considering what new guidance may be required to support any legislative changes. In line with current Government best practice, any guidance needed will be published at least 12 weeks before changes to legislation come into force.

Packaging

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to reduce the amount of packaging being used for commercial products by companies in England.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 31 January 2006
	Two sets of regulations cover packaging in the UK, both of which encourage producers to minimise packaging. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005 are intended to increase the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. The amount of packaging waste producers have to recover and recycle is determined, in part, by the amount of packaging they handle. Therefore businesses can save money if they reduce the amount of packaging they use around their products.
	The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (as amended) place a number of requirements on all packaging placed on the market in the UK, including a requirement that packaging should be manufactured so that the packaging volume and weight are limited to the minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer.

Poultry Slaughterhouses

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many poultry inspection assistants are employed by poultry slaughterhouses; and which slaughterhouses employ such assistants.

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
	In the United Kingdom, as at 26 January 2006, there were 517 food business operator establishment staff, formerly known as plant inspection assistants, authorised under EC Regulation 854/2004 to carry out post-mortem inspection duties. These staff are employed at 71 poultry slaughterhouses.
	The following slaughterhouses employ authorised establishment staff:
	
		
			 Licence number Plant name 
		
		
			 1007 Frank Bird (Poultry) Ltd. 
			 1100 Grampian Country Foods Ltd. 
			 1114 Grampian Country Chickens (Bucksburn) Ltd. 
			 1128 J Mitchell (Letham) Ltd. 
			 1659 Scottish Agricultural College 
			 2036 Thorne Poultry Ltd. 
			 2037 2 Sisters Food Group Ltd. 
			 2043 Lakefresh Turkeys 
			 2348 P  R Whitwam 
			 2358 Milford Farm Products 
			 3003 Cherry Valley Farms Limited 
			 3005 Moy Park Ltd. 
			 3007 Faccenda Group Ltd.Willow Road (3007) 
			 3008 Deans Foods Ltd. 
			 3011 MPP Holdings Ltd. T/A Padleys 
			 3021 Iqbal Poultry Ltd. 
			 4007 Harrisons Poultry Ltd. 
			 4021 J  F B White  Sons 
			 4026 Cranberry Foods Limited 
			 4128 Tom Fayre Game Ltd. 
			 4149 Skippers Turkeys Ltd. 
			 4534 Orchard Lee PoultryT Marsh 
			 4538 Springfield Poultry 
			 4539 Hasham  Sons 
			 4557 Leicester Fresh Farm Turkey 
			 4559 Taj and Co 
			 4562 Ahmed Jeewa  Sons 
			 4566 J Price Poultry Ltd. 
			 4568 J S  M Bailey  Sons 
			 4571 Heath's Turkeys 
			 4702 Caldecott Turkey Farms 
			 4800 Gafoor Poultry Products Ltd. 
			 5001 Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd. 
			 5004 A E Button  Sons (Kerry Foods) 
			 5007 Crown Chicken Ltd. 
			 5008 Grampian Country Foods LtdEye 
			 5020 Cherryridge Poultry Ltd. 
			 5023 Leonard Ames (Ampthill) Ltd. 
			 5028 A D Harvey 
			 5036 MFD Foods Ltd. T/A Manor Farm Ducklings 
			 5039 Paul Flatman Ltd. 
			 5040 Wishbone Turkeys Ltd 
			 5041 Kedassia Poultry 
			 5049 Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd. 
			 5055 A P Burlton Farms Ltd. 
			 5067 Harefield Development Co Ltd. 
			 5069 Green Label Poultry 
			 5408 Woldsway Foods Ltd. 
			 5415 Telmara Farm Ltd. 
			 5464 Banham Poultry Ltd. 
			 5473 R T Pointer 
			 5482 W E Botterill  Son 
			 6135 Bramble Farm 
			 6298 Copas Traditional Turkeys Ltd. 
			 6321 Sheepdrove Organic Farm 
			 7002 Grampian Prepared Meats 
			 7009 Grampian Country Food Group Sandycroft 
			 7013 Cranberry Foods Limited 
			 7161 Capeston Organic Poultry Ltd. 
			 8002 Faccenda Group Ltd.Sutton Benger 
			 8004 M C Kelly Ltd. 
			 8005 Lloyd Maunder Ltd. 
			 8011 Torbay Turkeys Limited 
			 8013 Greedy Carver Limited 
			 8014 Faccenda Group Ltd.Okeford Fitzpaine 
			 8296 R D Chapman  Son 
			 8365 Cornish Poultry Ltd. 
			 9502 Moypark 
			 9553 Finlays 
			 9552 Kearns Poultry 
			 9518 McKeowns Turkeys

Recycling

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set national standards for recycling which apply to all local authorities.

Ben Bradshaw: Government have set each local authority in England a statutory target for 200304 and 200506 and to assure that further progress is made. I recently launched for consultation options for further recycling/composting targets in 200708. Analysis of the responses is under way and there will be a formal announcement once a decision is made.

Recycling

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of corporate waste was recycled in each year between 2000 and 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 31 January 2006
	Information on waste management by the businesses has been collected through the Environment Agency's Commercial and Industrial Waste Survey, conducted in 200203. This survey estimates that around 37 per cent. of waste from the commercial sector in England was recycled or re-used in 200203. Data for other years in the period requested are not available.

Recycling

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has for increasing (a) recycling and (b) composting.

Ben Bradshaw: Waste Strategy 2000 set out national recycling and composting targets for household waste, of 17 per cent. in 200304, rising to 25 per cent. in 200506, then 30 per cent. in 2010 and 33 per cent. in 2015. Each local authority was also set a statutory target for 200304 and 200506 and to assure that further progress is made, I recently consulted on options for further recycling/composting targets in 200708. Analysis of the responses is under way and there will be a formal announcement once a decision is made. Provisional figures show more than a fifth (approaching 23 per cent.) of household waste in England was recycled, in 200405. Furthermore, waste disposal authorities have been set challenging landfill diversion targets for biodegradable municipal waste which will drive authorities to ensure that the recycling of this waste is maximised.
	To support the attainment of these targets, Defra introduced the Household Waste Recycling Act in 2003 which provides that English waste collection authorities shall ensure, except in certain circumstances, that by the end of 2010 they collect at least two recyclable materials from doorsteps separate from the remainder of the waste. About two thirds of households in England now receive a kerbside collection of recyclable materials.
	In the Spending Review 2004 the Government announced an increase in the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block of 888 million over 200405, by 200708 and over the three-year period to 200506, authorities are also benefiting from a total of 294 million invested through Defra's Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund. Its successor, Defra's Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant, will run in parallel for the first year and provide a further 260 million over the three years to 200708.
	Since 2002, Local authorities have also been assisted by targeted support and advice available through the Waste and Resources Action Programme and Defra's Waste Implementation Programmewhich will continue to provide targeted assistance to authorities for a further two years and an announcement of its new programme will be made in December 2005.
	For the longer-term, as part of the review of waste strategy, Defra is looking at what levels and what forms of targets will be the most efficient at continuing the recent improvements we have seen in waste performance. The review will take into account existing policy levers designed to drive the management of waste up the hierarchy (such as the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, the landfill tax escalator, and the obligations on producers in relation to packaging and waste electrical and electronic equipment). The Government intend to publish a consultation document on the Waste Strategy review in the next few weeks, followed by a revised waste strategy in the autumn.

Regulatory Reform Orders

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Regulatory Reform Orders her Department has laid before Parliament in each of the last five calendar years.

Jim Knight: The Department has laid before Parliament the following Regulatory Reform Orders:
	The Regulatory Reform (Sugar Beet Research and Education) Order 2003 (made on 8 May 2003)
	The Regulatory Reform (British Waterways Board) Order 2003 (made on 12 June 2003)
	The Regulatory Reform (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) Order 2005 (made on 9 March 2005)
	The Regulatory Reform (Forestry) Order 2006 (laid on 23 January 2006)

Snares

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the National Farmers' Union on the use of snares.

Jim Knight: We have had discussions on this issue with a number of key stakeholders, including the National Farmers' Union, in connection with the current consultation on Controlling the spread of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in high incidence areas in England: badger culling.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 January 2006, Official Report, column 1960W.

Snares

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned into the use of snares over the last three years.

Jim Knight: holding answer 6 February 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 January 2006, Official Report, column 1960W, which explained Defra's current testing or research into snares for catching wildlife and the possibility of future work in this area. No additional research has been undertaken in the last three years.

Special Protection Area Status

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under which EU directive or regulations special protection area status was introduced; and whether the Government published a regulatory impact assessment in relation to its incorporation into UK law.

Jim Knight: Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are strictly protected sites classified in accordance with Article 4 of the EC Directive on the conservation of wild birds (79/409/EEC), also known as the Birds Directive, which came into force in April 1979. The provisions of the Birds Directive were initially transposed into domestic legislation by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as a mended). No regulatory Impact Assessment was undertaken at that time.

Stewardship Schemes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers have applied, and been accepted, for (a) Entry Level Stewardship and (b) Higher Level Stewardship.

Jim Knight: As of 1 February 2006 the following applications have been received and accepted:
	(a) Entry Level Stewardship (including Organic Entry Level)17,296 applications received and 13,762 accepted
	(b) Higher Level Stewardship806 applications received and 297 accepted.

Tyres

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of tyres which became redundant in the last year for which an estimate is available; and what estimate she has made of the proportion of tyres which were disposed of by each disposal route used;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the use of landfills for redundant tyre disposal; and what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) alternative disposal routes exist and (b) these routes will be able to deal with the anticipated annual flow of redundant tyres.

Ben Bradshaw: The latest available figures for used tyres are for 2003, based on information supplied to the Used Tyre Working Group (UTWG).
	
		
			  Tonnes 
		
		
			 Used tyre arisings 444,000 
			 Re-use 105,000 
			 Materials recovery 160,000 
			 Energy recovery 78,000 
			 Engineering uses 15,000 
			 Exports 13,000 
			 Landfill 85,000 
		
	
	Data for 2004 should be available shortly. They are likely to show growth on overall recovery to over 400,000 tonnes per year, led by increases on the engineering and materials recovery sectors.
	A survey was recently completed for DTI to determine the quantity of tyres accepted into landfill in the UK during 2004 and the first 6 months of 2005. The survey sought information on whether tyres were being disposed or used for engineering purposes and whether in whole or shredded form. Tyres are also disposed to landfill as part of automotive shredder residue from end of life vehicles. I will place a copy of the survey in the Library of the House.
	There are many ways of putting used tyres to good use, although broadly all of these can be defined as either reuse, recycling or recovery. WRAP (the waste and resources action programme) was established in 2001 in response to the Government's Waste Strategy 2000 to promote sustainable waste management. Its mission is to accelerate resource efficiency by creating efficient market for recycled materials and products. In 2005, WRAP began developing a discrete used tyres programme and is currently working on a series of projects and trials investigating the properties and potential applications of new products made from used tyre rubber. Further information about WRAP, and its tyres programme, can be found on www.wrap.org.uk.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Aircraft Fuel (Taxation)

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with HM Treasury on the impact of a green tax on aircraft fuel on tourism.

James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not discussed this with Treasury Ministers. However, my officials, who are part of the cross Whitehall sustainable tourism group, have discussed this issue with their counterparts in HM Treasury and in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with a view to ensuring that the interests of the tourism sector are fully represented. And my Department contributes to the development of the Government's policies on sustainability and environmental issues, with that aim in mind.

Airport Expansion

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has made to (a) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and (b) planning inquiries on the expansion of capacity at (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) Stansted airports on behalf of the tourism industry.

James Purnell: My Department has made no interventions in these specific planning inquiries. However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport works with the Department for Transport on transport issues affecting the tourism industry. The vital importance of tourism to the UK economy is reflected in the Government's White Paper on the Future of Air Transport.

BBC

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment will be made of market impact in the approval process for new BBC public services; and what role will be played by Ofcom in the assessment process.

Tessa Jowell: In the Green Paper on BBC Charter Review, we proposed that any new service or significant change to an existing service should require a public value test. Part of the test should be a market impact assessment, to be conducted according to a formula agreed by Ofcom and the BBC Trust and to be carried out by Ofcom in the case of new services. Our conclusions in this area, following the Green Paper consultation, will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

British Grand Prix (Policing)

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received requesting financial support for policing at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Richard Caborn: I have received a number of representations from the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) requesting financial support for policing at the British Grand Prix (BGP) at Silverstone. While there are ongoing discussions between the BRDC, Home Office, Northamptonshire police force and other interested parties about the level of charging, the Government has made clear that it will not provide funding for future police costs incurred as part of the BGP.

Casinos

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what date she has set for the panel's report on the locations for regional, large and small casinos under the Gambling Act 2005 to be submitted to her Department.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the Casino Advisory Panel to make its recommendations to her by 31 December 2006.

Casinos

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from local authorities on the number and location of regional casinos under the pilot scheme.

Richard Caborn: We have received a number of letters from local authorities and others in support of an increase in the number of regional casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005.
	Despite these representations, we do not believe the case has yet been made for an increase, and we are therefore proceeding with implementation on the basis of the one regional casino specified in the Act.
	We have established an independent panel to advise the Government on the areas where the 17 new casinos permitted by the Act should be located. Any representations relating to the location of the new casinos will be for the casino advisory panel to consider in developing its recommendations to Ministers.

Casinos

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the value of the (a) casino and (b) gambling industry to the economy in each year since 1997 in (i) Leicester and (ii) England.

Richard Caborn: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces an annual estimate of household expenditure on gambling in the UK. The estimated expenditure (stakes less prizes) excluding the national lottery is included in the table. The ONS also makes an annual estimate of employment in the gambling industry through its Annual Business Inquiry, and this information is also provided.
	No separate figures are available for the casino industry. However, the Gambling Commission (formerly the Gaming Board for Great Britain) publish annual figures for the house win in casinos in Great Britain, which is included in the table.
	No separate data are available for Leicester or England.
	
		
			 Years ended March UK gambling expenditure (excluding the national lottery) ( million) Gambling and betting: average employment through the year(23) Casinos: house win(24) ( million) 
		
		
			 1997 4371 n/a 471 
			 1998 4350 76.000 486 
			 1999 4432 77.000 464 
			 2000 4304 88.000 546 
			 2001 4511 90.000 533 
			 2002 5061 90,000 619 
			 2003 5660 90,000 669 
			 2004 6743 a96.000 674 
			 2005 6754 b 715 
		
	
	Notes:
	a Provisional.
	b Not yet available.
	Sources:
	(23) ONS: Annual Business Inquiry.
	(24) Gaming Board/Gambling Commission Annual Reports.

Casinos

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the procedures are for increasing the number of regional casinos in the pilot scheme under the Gambling Act 2005.

Richard Caborn: Sections 175(1)-(3) of the Gambling Act 2005 specify the maximum number of casino premises licences that may have effect in respect of regional, large and small casinoscurrently 1, 8 and 8 respectively. Section 175(8)(a) provides that the Secretary of State may by order amend any of subsections (1), (2) or (3) so as to substitute a new maximum number of casino premises licences. Any order would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, requiring the approval of both Houses of Parliament.
	We have no plans to bring forward such an order at this stage.

Casinos

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under what provisions a casino licence issued under the Gaming Act 1968 may be reinstated after a temporary cessation of trading for unforeseen reasons by the holder.

Richard Caborn: A casino licence issued under the Gaming Act 1968 would not lapse automatically if the license holder was temporarily prevented from trading for unforeseen reasons.
	Subject to the normal annual renewal process, the licence could be retained. Under the 1968 Act, if the holder of a casino licence was faced with circumstances which meant they had to move or substantially alter their premises, they would be required to apply for a new certificate of consent and casino licence.
	Once the Gambling Act 2005 is formally implemented, casinos that had been licensed under the 1968 Act, and which are subsequently licensed under the 2005 Act, will continue to be able to apply to transfer their business to new premises, so long as it is within the area of their licensing authority. Casinos will have a general right to apply for such a move, and would not be limited to circumstances where a move is essential.

Category C Gaming Machines

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the extent to which operators and providers of category C gaming machines (a) are crime free and (b) can meet conditions on the protection of vulnerable people.

Richard Caborn: The Gambling Act 2005 for the first time introduces new requirements on operators of all categories of gaming machines to ensure that gambling remains crime free, and that children and vulnerable people are protected. DCMS and the Gambling Commission are working with the industry and other interested parties to develop the relevant licence conditions and codes of practice that are needed to deliver these protections. The Gambling Commission and licensing authorities will be responsible for monitoring compliance with the new requirements once they are formally implemented in September 2007.

Christmas Cards

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate the cost to her Department of sending Christmas cards in 2005.

David Lammy: 5,000 Christmas cards were printed at a total cost of 2,019. The cards were sent out by Second Class post.

Circus Industry

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions her Department has had with the circus industry relating to licensing proposals; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: I have had regular meetings with circus representatives to discuss the implications of the Licensing Act 2003, including Arts Council England, the Association of Circus Proprietors of Great Britain and the Circus Arts Forum. My most recent meeting was with a delegation led by the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire on 26 January 2006.

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the expenditure on (a) buildings and (b) insurance of buildings and staff was of (i) her Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) Executive agency and (C) other public body for which her Department is responsible in each English region in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 200506 in each case.

David Lammy: Expenditure by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on buildings, including rent and building services was services was 7,040,000, in 200203, 7,488,000 in 200304 and 7,311,000 in 200405; with planned expenditure of 7,300,000 in 200506.
	Expenditure by the Department on insurance of buildings was 76,200 in 200304 and 88,500 in 200405; with planned expenditure of 107,400 in 200506. Insurance costs for 200203 could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.
	Neither the Department, nor Royal Parks Agency, insure its staff.
	The Royal Parks Agency, did not incur expenditure on insurance of buildings until 200506, when there is forecast expenditure of 7,000.
	The Royal Parks Agency does not pay rent on the buildings for which it has responsibility. Its building services costs were: 6,941,000 in 200203, 7,738,000 in 200304, 7,574,000 in 200405 and with planned expenditure of 7,000,000 in 200506.
	Information requested in respect of the non-departmental public bodies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual expenditure on (a) fixtures and fittings, (b) general office expenses and (c) office equipment was of (i) her Department, (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) Executive agency and (C) other public body for which her Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) each of the English regions and (4) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 200506 in each case.

David Lammy: Expenditure by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on fixtures and fittings was 477,000 in 200203, 475,000 in 200304 and 335,000 in 200405; with planned expenditure of 100,000 in 200506.
	The term general office expenses is neither used as part of the Department's accounting procedures, nor those of the Royal Parks Agency.
	Annual expenditure by the Department on office equipment, including computers, was 938,000 in 200203, 958,000 in 200304, 1,100,000 in 200405; with planned expenditure of 350,000 in 200506.
	The Royal Parks Agency's accounts do not identify separately figures for fixtures and fittings and attempts to provide these would be at disproportionate cost.
	Annual expenditure by the Royal Parks Agency on office equipment, including computers, was 11,000 in both 200203 and 200304, 23,000 in 200405, with planned expenditure of 23,000 in 200506.
	Information requested in respect of the non-departmental public bodies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the expenditure on (a) buildings and (b) insurance of buildings and staff was of (i) her Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) executive agency and (C) other public body for which her Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) each of the English regions and (4) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 200506 in each case.

David Lammy: Expenditure by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on buildings, including rent and building services was 7,040,000, in 200203, 7,488,000 in 2003 -04, and 7,311,000 in 200405; with planned expenditure of 7,300,000 in 200506.
	Expenditure by the Department on insurance of buildings was 76,200 in 200304 and 88,500 in 200405; with planned expenditure of 107,400 in 200506. Insurance costs for 200203 could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.
	Neither the Department, nor Royal Parks Agency, insure its staff.
	The Royal Parks Agency, did not incur expenditure on insurance of buildings until 20056, when there is forecast expenditure of 7,000.
	The Royal Parks Agency does not pay rent on the buildings for which it has responsibility. Its building services costs were: 6,941,000 in 200203, 7,738,000 in 200304, 7,574,000 in 200405 and with planned expenditure of 7,000,000 in 200506.
	Information requested in respect of the non-departmental public bodies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

English Heritage

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the level of resources English Heritage allocates to the scheduling of newly discovered monuments.

David Lammy: All designation, including scheduling as well as the listing of buildings of special architectural and historical interest, and the Registers of Parks and Gardens and of Battlefields, is undertaken by the heritage protection department of English Heritage.
	The heritage protection department includes 58 staff. The department's budget in 200506 is 2,169,000.

English Heritage

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people English Heritage employs in the designation of ancient monuments.

David Lammy: English Heritage receives almost 130 million grant in aid from the Department. High level priorities are agreed in the funding agreement, which is co-signed by the ODPM and Defra, in recognition of the contribution English Heritage makes to the delivery of the targets in all three Departments. It is up to English Heritage to decide how much funding to allocate to specific activities.

External Consultants

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department has paid since 2004 to external consultants who had previously been employed by the Department in any capacity within the previous five years.

David Lammy: Since 2004, the amounts paid to external consultants who had previously been employed by the Department, are as follow:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 PKF (2 projects) 283,371 
			 PriceWaterhouseCoopers (5 projects) 239,581 
			 Forethought Associates 47,304 
			 BMRB 43,267 
			 Opsis Renewal Consulting 27,600 
			 Odgers, Ray and Berndtson 26,250 
			 Monterosa 14,965 
			 Enable UK 4,850

Film Council

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the ratio was between the administration costs of the UK Film Council and the funds which it provided for film production in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: In 20045, UK Film Council operating costs were 9.05 million11 per cent. of UK Film Councils total expenditure of 79.48 millionof which, 7.7 million were attributed to lottery activities. In 200405, new lottery award commitments were made to the value of 50.66 millionof which, 27.25 million related to film production, and 23.41 million related to other schemes covering distribution, exhibition, training and regional awardsincluding those to delegated bodies.

Freedom of Information

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what total sum has been received by her Department for the provision of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in its first year of operation.

David Lammy: My Department has received no monies for the provision of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in its first year of operation.
	The Freedom of Information Act allows for public authorities to determine when the cost of processing a request will exceed the appropriate limit, which for central Government is set at 600 and for the wider public sector 450. In this instance the public authority may decide to either approach the applicant to help them refine their request and where possible to bring it under the appropriate limit. Alternatively, public authorities may charge the applicant the cost of processing the request. There is, however, no obligation for Departments to provide information if the cost of processing the request exceeds the appropriate limit.
	Public authorities may also charge for disbursements when handling requests where it is deemed appropriate. Further information on the FOI fees regime can be found on the DCA website at http://www.foi.gov.uk/feesguide.htm

Institutions (Assets)

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of requirements on institutions for which she is responsible to maximise income on (a) appropriate and (b) sustainable use of their assets.

David Lammy: No overall assessment has been made, however the financial memoranda that apply to the Department's sponsored bodies stipulate that bodies should seek to optimise income from non-Exchequer sources in a way that does not conflict with their main functions.
	Historic Royal Palaces, for example, was set up by Royal Charter with the objective
	to administer, conserve, renovate, repair, maintain and improve the Palaces to a high standard consistent with their status as buildings of Royal, historic and architectural importance.
	It is free to generate and optimise income within the boundaries set out in its Royal Charter, and to use that income to further its historical, cultural and educational objectives. The Secretary of State has given no directions to Historic Royal Palaces to maximise the income and commercial activity outside of their Charter obligations.
	The Public Accounts Committee, which considered the issue of income and commercial activities in its thirty-third report (Income generated by the museums and galleries), concluded that the Department's sponsored museums and galleries should set targets for income growth, with an assessment of the risks. The Department is currently finalising three-year funding agreements with the museums and galleries that will set targets for income generation consistent with delivery of their wider objectives.

Licensing

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what data sets are being collected in the 10 scrutiny councils to monitor how the new licensing regime is being delivered.

James Purnell: The main purpose of the Scrutiny Council initiative is to generate qualitative information about the interaction of the national policy framework with local licensing policy statements and objectives.
	Officials from my department are working with council officers and through them with local police and other responsible authorities, residents' groups, businesses and other stakeholders, to gather information about how the new regime is working on the ground.
	We will be gathering data from the 10 Councils about, for example, the number of hearings, appeals, reviews and closures and the spread of licensing hours. Of course, this quantitative data will not provide a representative sample, but will help to enrich the other case study material being gathered.
	The report on the Scrutiny Council initiative will be made available in the summer.

Licensing

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on changes to the limits on temporary events notices under the Licensing Act 2003; and from whom.

James Purnell: In response to a consultation mounted last autumn, we have received over 100 representations about the limits on temporary events notices (TENs), particularly regarding the number of TENs which premises may submit in any one year, and the duration of events for which TENS are required. Submissions were received from a range of organisations including residents' associations, village halls and licensing authorities. We are currently considering the responses and will announce our conclusions, and publish the responses to the consultation, shortly.

Licensing

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from Action with Communities in Rural England regarding the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 for village halls.

James Purnell: Action for Communities in Rural England (ACRE) represent an important sector and, as members of my high level group of key stakeholders, I have met them on several occasions to discuss the impact of the licensing act on village and community halls. I have also met with them separately on two occasions. ACRE responded to the consultation on the temporary event notice (TEN) regulations in September. ACRE'S main concerns relate to the limits associated with the new TENs regime and the difficulty for some volunteer-run halls in meeting the requirements for a designated premises supervisor when a licence includes alcohol sales. ACRE are conducting research into how village halls have adapted to the new regime since it came into effect on 24 November 2005. Their views, and any evidence they provide, are being fed into both our review of the statutory guidance and the Independent Review of Licensing Fees.

Marine Historic Review

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will nominate a member of the British Sub-Aqua Club to sit on the Marine Historic Review Working Group; if she will meet representatives of the club to discuss the progress of the working group; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: holding answer 6 February 2006
	The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) is a member of the Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee (JNAPC), the umbrella group whose membership spans archaeological bodies, diving organisations and other bodies with responsibilities for underwater cultural heritage. The JNAPC is represented on the Marine Historic Environment Review Salvage and Reporting Working Group. At least three members of the working group are also members of the BSAC.
	In November 2005 I met with representatives of the JNAPC to discuss, among other things, progress on the Marine Historic Environment Review.

Media Relations

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent on external media relations in each year since 2001.

David Lammy: There was a zero spend on external media relations in each of the years 2001 through to 2003. In 2004 the cost was 51,000 and in 2005 we are expecting the cost to be 226,000.

Schedule of Ancient Monuments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new sites were added to the Schedule of Ancient Monuments in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The number of new sites added to the Schedule of Ancient Monuments in the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2005 11 
			 2004 224 
			 2003 437 
			 2002 583 
			 2001 880

Schedule of Ancient Monuments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the role of the scheduling of ancient monuments in protecting the UK's archaeological resource.

David Lammy: Archaeological remains are scheduled to ensure that the case for preservation is fully considered given any proposals for development or other work which might damage the monument. Circa 19,800 are currently protected by scheduling.
	The protection of archaeologically important sites, either by scheduling or by other mechanisms, is being considered as part of the current Heritage Protection Review.

Schedule of Ancient Monuments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many scheduled sites without up-to-date descriptions and for which there is no publicly available information remain to be reassessed; and whether there is a programme in place for this work.

David Lammy: There are now approximately 19,800 scheduled ancient monuments. Of the 12,500 older schedule entries, approximately 7,000 have been reviewed. Three-quarters of the present schedule thus has up-to-date documentation.
	The English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme, which was a review of all recorded archaeological sites in England, was put on hold in 2003. English Heritage are now developing plans for a new strategic designation programme in light of the heritage protection review.

Secondments

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people from science and technology backgrounds have been seconded into the civil service in her Department in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is fully committed to interchange and working in partnership with other organisations. In the last three years, 23 people have been seconded into the Department but information on their academic or professional backgrounds is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Television Licences

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what process her Department is following to set the future level of the BBC licence fee; and when a decision is expected to be reached.

Tessa Jowell: The Government are currently conducting a funding review in line with the commitment in the Green Paper on BBC Charter Review. An announcement on the level of the television licence fee to apply from April 2007 will be made in due course.

Television Licences

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what external advice and analysis has been sought by her Department during the process to set the future level of the licence; and whether that advice will be published.

Tessa Jowell: In line with the commitment in the Green Paper to take independent advice, PKF were appointed in July 2005 to provide the Government with expert financial advice on a range of issues including the value for money of the BBC. Subject to proper consideration of confidentiality, we intend to make PKF's findings public in due course.

Television Licences

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps will be taken to ensure that the future level of BBC licence fee funding will take account of the BBC's wider impact on (a) the market and (b) public service broadcasting on commercial channels.

Tessa Jowell: The Government are currently conducting a funding review to determine the level of the licence fee to apply from April 2007, and will consider all relevant issues in doing so.

VisitBritain

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to name a new Chairman for VisitBritain.

Tessa Jowell: My Department will shortly begin the process of appointing a new Chairman of VisitBritain to succeed Lord Marshall who leaves an excellent legacy following his time in the post. The post will be advertised widely as part of an open process, and the aim throughout will be to identify the best qualified person for this key post in tourism. It is expected that the successful candidate will be appointed in the summer.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed on inmates in each prison in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The information available is shown in the following table.
	
		Number of abortions to women giving a prison postcode as their place of residence, England and Wales, 19952004
		
			  Yearly total Three year total 
		
		
			 2004 24  
			 2003 (25)  
			 2002 (25) 23 
			 2001 (25)  
			 2000 (25)  
			 1999 (25) 16 
			 1998 (25)  
			 1997 (25)  
			 1996 (25) 10 
			 1995 (25)  
		
	
	(25) Suppressed values where totals are between zero and nine. For confidentiality reasons totals less than 10 are not released.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her opinion piece in The Independent on 19 January, on what data her statement that there were 0.75 million more attendances at accident and emergency departments this year than in 199697 was based.

Liam Byrne: In the opinion piece referred to, the figures quoted for accident and emergency activity (A and E) should have read
	'in 199697 there were 14.1 million attendances at A and Ethis year it is 15.8 million'.
	This represents a rise of 1.7 million. The source of 199697 attendance data is KH09, Consultant Outpatient Attendance Activity and Accident and Emergency Services Activity and QMAE, Quarterly Monitoring of Key Standards and Targets: Accident and Emergency, England for 200405. Attendances at walk in centres have been excluded from this comparison, as they did not exist in 199697. Including walk in centres, the 200405 figure rises to 17.8 million.

Agenda for Change

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what she expects the cost of implementing agenda for change to be.

Liam Byrne: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 2 February 2006, Official Report, column 724W.

Ambulance Service Trusts

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 387W, on ambulance services trusts (West Midland), why her Department does not maintain ambulance trust population figures.

Liam Byrne: The Department does not directly maintain population figures for ambulance service trusts as the boundaries of the catchment areas for these trusts are not in all cases coterminous with those of the primary care trusts, care trusts or local authorities they serve. From time-to-time approximate populations are calculated and published, most recently in the statistical bulletin, 'Ambulance Services, England: 200102', which is available in the Library and on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/02/28/82/04022882.pdf

Benzodiazepine

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the provision of dedicated NHS benzodiazepine withdrawal clinics.

Caroline Flint: People with dependence on benzodiazepines can access services in primary and secondary care. In primary care, counselling, advice and/or psychological therapy is available, and secondary care services are also available, including specialised mental health services and specialised drug services. While there are some specialist clinics in parts of England, NHS services are commonly provided on the basis of clinical need rather than the causes of need per se. Support for benzodiazepine withdrawal can be provided in a range of settings.
	In 2005, responding to advice from professionals in the substance misuse field, and consistent with recommendations made in Drug misuse and dependenceguidelines on clinical management (1999), 1 the Department amended prescribing regulation to allow diazepam to be dispensed in instalments for the treatment of drug addictionto assist doctors in prescribing benzodiazepines more safely.
	1 Guidelines on Clinical ManagementDepartment of Health, The Scottish Office Department of Health, Welsh Office Department of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland (1999) The Stationery Office.

Breast Cancer

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets she has to reduce rates of breast cancer over the next (a) five and (b) 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 February 2006
	There are no specific targets for reducing breast cancer rates. It is important to note that a key Government target is to reduce mortality rates for all cancers in people under 75 by 2010 and we are well on the way to achieving this.
	Our strategy for improving the general health of the population leading to the prevention of a number of diseases, including cancer, was set out in the Choosing Health White Paper, published in 2004.

Cigarette Packet Warnings

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what date has been set for the commencement of the planned public consultation regarding the possible inclusion of graphic or pictorial warnings on cigarette packets as permitted by EU Directive 2001/37/EC.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 6 February 2006
	No date has yet been set for the Government's public consultation on introducing picture health warnings on tobacco packs.

Crack Cocaine

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many crack cocaine users are in community-based treatment.

Caroline Flint: 5,000 individuals were reported to the national drug treatment monitoring system (NDTMS) in 200405 in community-based treatment, specialist prescribing, general practitioner prescribing, structured day programmes, structured counselling, other structured treatment, with the main problem drug of crack cocaine.
	15,373 were reported with crack as their secondary drug of use.

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to increase the number of dental access centres in England.

Rosie Winterton: As of April 2006, primary care trusts (PCTs) will be responsible for commissioning primary care dentistry. It will therefore be up to individual PCTs to decide what the most appropriate services are, based on the needs of their local populations.

Dentistry

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 9 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1718WS, on national health service dentistry, how many of the 1,400 new dentists will be placed in (a) the general dental service, (b) salaried primary care dental services and (c) the hospital dental service.

Rosie Winterton: A precise breakdown of the information requested is not available. However, the vast majority of the 1,459 whole-time equivalent dentists are working in general dental services or personal dental services with a small number working in the salaried primary care dental services. None of the 1,459 dentists are working in the hospital dental service.

Dentistry

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of a national health service dental check-up in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Uxbridge constituency in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The fee for a national health service dental check-up is fixed across England. This fee is set by the Department and is reviewed each year, usually in April.
	The dentists' fees since 1994 have been as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 January 1994 4.75 
			 April 1994 4.90 
			 April 1995 5.00 
			 April 1996 5.15 
			 December 1996 5.20 
			 April 1997 5.30 
			 December 1997 5.40 
			 April 1998 5.65 
			 December 1998 5.80 
			 April 1999 5.95 
			 April 2000 6.15 
			 April 2001 6.40 
			 April 2002 6.65 
			 April 2003 6.85 
			 April 2004 7.05 
			 April 2005 7.30

Dentistry

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population was registered with an NHS dentist in (a) England, (b) London, (c) the London borough of Hillingdon and (d) Uxbridge constituency in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The information available is shown in the tables. Information on people registered with a national health service dentist in the Uxbridge constituency is not provided as population data are not available at this level.
	The drop in registrations between September 1997 and September 1998 is mostly attributable to the reduction in re-registration period from two years to 15 months.
	
		Estimated percentage of the population registered in general dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS) as at 30 September each year
		
			 Population (percentage) 
		
		
			 England  
			 1997 56 
			 1998 49 
			 1999 49 
			 2000 50 
			 2001 49 
			 2002 49 
			 2003 49 
			 2004 47 
			 2005 48 
			   
			 London  
			 1997 52 
			 1998 43 
			 1999 42 
			 2000 42 
			 2001 42 
			 2002 41 
			 2003 42 
			 2004 40 
			 2005 42 
			   
			 London borough of Hillingdon 
			 1997 59 
			 1998 50 
			 1999 49 
			 2000 50 
			 2001 46 
			 2002 47 
			 2003 44 
			 2004 43 
			 2005 44 
		
	
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre

Dentistry

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) dentists and (b) patients were registered in Welwyn, Hatfield in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The number of national health service dentists and number of patients registered in Welwyn Hatfield Primary Care Trust as at 30 September in each year specified, are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Dentists Registrations 
		
		
			 1997 50 57,514 
			 1998 52 50,733 
			 1999 47 50,387 
			 2000 51 50,442 
			 2001 52 52,110 
			 2002 55 50,061 
			 2003 64 49,123 
			 2004 69 49,106 
			 2005 68 50,007 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data include General Dental Services (GDS) and Personal Dental Services (PDS) registrations/PDS patients seen (counts patients seen in the past 15 months for some PDS schemes).
	2. The drop in registrations between September 1997 and September 1998 is mostly attributable to the reduction in re-registration period from two years to 15 months.
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

Departmental Performance Support Team

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the functions of her Department's performance support team; how many staff it has; and what the differences are between the roles of the performance support team and the turnaround teams she announced in her statement of 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 37WS, on NHS Finance.

Liam Byrne: The performance support team is a national health service team which works with a small number of hospital trusts which need additional support in meeting the clinical and .managerial requirements of the NHS Plan. It has 23 employees.
	Turnaround teams will comprise of experts with a mix of commercial and NHS turnaround skills. The first stage of their work was a baseline assessment with those organisations with the largest financial challenges. The first phase assessed 62 organisations and the second 35. Following the initial assessments, they will agree a tailored package of turnaround support with the organisations facing the largest risks and with their strategic health authority. This will help them to achieve financial balance and provide services more efficiently.

Drug Prescribing

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual level of prescribing of (a) carmustie implants and (b) temozolomide outside the context of clinical trials was in the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by (i) strategic health authority and (ii) primary care trust.

Jane Kennedy: The estimated cost of temozolomide and carmustine dispensed in hospitals and in the community (primary care) in England over the last three financial years is shown in the table.
	A separate figure for carmustine implants is not provided due to contractual restrictions on how data on drugs issued in hospitals can be used. The figure includes all preparations of carmustine.
	
		Estimated cost of temozolomide and carmustine dispensed in hospitals and in the communityEngland
		
			 Cost (000) 
			  200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Temozolomide
			 Dispensed in hospitals 2,758.9 3,126.9 4,336.9 
			 Dispensed in the community 38.7  4.0 
			 Total 2,797.6 3,126.9 4,340.9 
			 
			 Carmustine
			 Dispensed in hospitals 55.1 68.6 121.3 
			 Dispensed in the community
			 Total 55.1 68.6 121.3 
		
	
	Source:
	IMS Health (2005) and PCA data
	The usage of temozolomide in primary care is negligible and carmustine is not used at all in primary care. Therefore, since the primary care usage is so low, sub-national data cannot be provided for patient confidentiality reasons.
	Usage of carmustine in hospitals is low. Data on carmustine at a sub-national level is not provided due to contractual restrictions.
	Data for temzolomide at cancer network level were published by the Department as part of the review undertaken by the National Cancer director on the variations in usage of cancer drugs appraised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The report is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/38/95/04083895.pdf.
	Data on drugs issued in hospitals are not available at primary care trust level.

Drug Treatment Programmes

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people involved in providing drug treatment programmes have (a) resigned and (b) taken leave for medical reasons in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Financial Targets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts have been investigated by her Department over the last 12 months due to failure to meet financial targets; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The performance management of national health service trusts is the responsibility of strategic health authorities (SHAs). There are continuous discussions between the Department and SHAs regarding the financial performance of NHS trusts within their health economy. The Department has not carried out specific investigations of NHS trusts due to a failure to meet financial targets, but it has commissioned an external assessment by KPMG of the financial position in 48 NHS trusts.

Genetic Testing

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which staff groups specialise in genetic testing; how many staff in these groups there were in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available; and how many full-time equivalent posts those figures represent.

Liam Byrne: Information on genetics staff in England for the specified years is shown in the following table.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: genetics staff in England by level as at 30 September each specified year
		
			  1997 2004 
			  Full-time equivalent Headcount Full-time equivalent Headcount 
		
		
			 All medical genetics staff 94 121 149 188 
			 Clinical genetics 87 106 142 180 
			 Clinical cytogenetics and molecular genetics 7 15 8 8 
			 All non-medical genetics staff n/a n/a 607 656 
			 Qualified genetics staff n/a n/a 570 610 
			 Unqualified genetics staff n/a n/a 37 46 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	Sources:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Medical and Dental Workforce Census
	Information prior to 2004 for non-medical genetics staff is unavailable as this was the first year that detailed information on healthcare scientists was collected.

Health Service Initiatives (Costs)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was budgeted for the (a) general practitioner contract, (b) consultant contract and (c) Agenda for Change; and how much each has cost to implement.

Liam Byrne: For the General Medical Service contract, forecast spend based on available primary care trust (PCT) data is shown in the table.
	
		Forecast spend against PCT allocated resources
		
			  billion 
			 Financial year Allocation Outturn Over 
		
		
			 200304 5.7 5.8 0.1 
			 200405 (26) 6.8 6.9 0.1 
			 200506 (26) 7.4 7.5 0.1 
		
	
	(26) Forecast outturn, i.e. still subject to finalised PCT accounts.
	The consultant contract was costed on a methodology agreed with the British Medical Association and on that basis the estimated cost of the contract, and the funding, was 133 million in 200304 rising to 250 million in 200506. In late 2004 we adjusted the tariff for 200506 by 150 million in response to suggestions from the service that this was the further cost pressure. However, our national survey, published in February 2005, indicated that the actual additional cost to the service was around 90 million.
	The agreed funding envelope for agenda for change was 480 million in 200405 rising to 950 million in 200506.
	There are local concerns based on monitoring in a number of sample sites that initial costs may have been higher than expected in some places, and follow-up work is currently being carried out on the costs of implementation within each Strategic Health Authority to test this. The agenda for change funding envelope is due to increase in 200607 and 200708 and it is too soon to conclude whether or not the overall envelope will be exceeded.

Health Worker Pay

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account is taken of differences between the value of NHS pension provision and that of workers in comparable jobs in the private sector in setting the pay of health workers.

Liam Byrne: The pay levels for most national health service staff is determined by independent pay review bodies after they receive evidence from Government and staff side trade unions. When making recommendations the review bodies are able to take into account pensions benefits.

Heart Disease

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) England and (b) Forest of Dean constituency suffered from heart disease in each of the last five years; and what the mortality rate was in each year.

Rosie Winterton: The number of people diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD) is collected at primary care trust (PCT) level, and is not held by constituency. The number of patients diagnosed with CHD identified by general practitioner (GP) practices in West Gloucestershire PCT (which includes residents in Forest of Dean constituency) in 200405 was 7,908. The number of patients diagnosed with CHD identified by GP practices in England in 200405 was 1,893,184. Figures are not available for previous years.
	Source:
	200405 Quality and Outcomes Framework data published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre
	
		Death rates (per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population) from coronary heart disease in England and the local authority of Forest of Dean
		
			  England Forest of Dean 
		
		
			 2000 135 127 
			 2001 130 133 
			 2002 124 130 
			 2003 119 120 
			 2004 109 122 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Based on deaths registered in each calendar year, selected using the original underlying cause. Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD9) for 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD10) for 200104 (codes for coronary heart disease: ICD9 410414; ICD10 120125).
	2. Figures have been provided for Forest of Dean local authority as population data by parliamentary constituency are unavailable.
	Source:
	Death registrations and population estimates, Office for National Statistics

Hospital Bed Occupancy

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the optimal level of bed occupancy in NHS hospitals.

Liam Byrne: Evidence from the national beds inquiry (February 2000) and elsewhere suggests that the optimal bed occupancy rate is around 82 to 85 per cent. These figures however, are merely a guideline and it is up to the national health service locally to decide how best to manage their services. Some hospitals operate at occupancy levels in excess of these levels while still delivering a high quality of care, patient safety and the key access targets.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of recent evidence on the effectiveness of Tamiflu; and what effect this has had on her Department's planning for an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 24 January 2006
	We are aware of the recent review of antiviral effectiveness published in The Lancet 1 and have given it full consideration. Studies in the review are specific to seasonal flu and do not affect our plan for pandemic flu. The findings to date are of little public health significance as the change to make the strain more resistant to antivirals also makes it less infectious.
	Tamiflu was chosen for the United Kingdom stockpile on the basis of independent expert advice that reflected its efficacy and ease of administration. Internationally, this is agreed as the product of choice. Our antiviral strategy is kept under constant review and we are looking carefully at alternatives as a possible back-up to Tamiflu.
	1 de jong MD, Thanh T.T, Khanh T.H et al. Oseltamivir Resistance during Treatment of Influenza A (H5N1) infection. N Engl J Med 2005; 353:266772

International Recruitment of Health Workers

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many recruitment agencies have signed the Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Workers in each of the past five years for which records are available.

Liam Byrne: NHS Employers is responsible for monitoring the code of practice on international recruitment and maintains a register of international recruitment agencies that comply with the code.
	A revised code was published in December 2004, which tightened arrangements for locum recruitment and the private sector and made it a requirement that all agencies supplying permanent and temporary healthcare professional staff to the national health service comply with the code of practice.
	The number of agencies on the NHS Employers list is shown in the table.
	
		
			  NHS Employers list(27) 
		
		
			 2003 64 
			 2004 164 
			 2005 (28)140 
		
	
	(27) As a list of agencies compliant with the code of practice was not established until 2003, data cannot be provided prior to this date.
	(28) The reduced number in 2005 reflects in part the effect of mergers in the commercial recruitment agency sector.

Lyme Disease

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist consultants in England are involved in the treatment of extreme cases of Lyme disease.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 30 January 2006
	As of June 2005, 111 consultants in infectious diseases were employed in the national health service in England. They have the principal role in the treatment of Lyme disease of differing levels of severity. In addition, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) employs 118 consultants in communicable disease control who have a role in the diagnosis of Lyme disease.
	All of these consultants have rapid and easy access to the HPA's Lyme Borreliosis specialist diagnostic service for confirmation of diagnosis of Lyme disease in accordance with internationally agreed diagnostic criteria.

Mental Health Services

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the level of funding for mental health services in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Peterborough.

Rosie Winterton: The Department assesses annually the investment in mental health services published in the national survey of mental health services. The report details the level of investment by strategic health authorities (SHAs) in adult mental health services and compares it with results reported in previous years. The latest national survey for 200405 showed Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHAs7 planned investment in mental health services per head of weighted working age population was 169.551 million. This is an increase of 27.283 million on the previous year.
	The analysis in the report is derived from the detailed finance mapping exercise co-ordinated by local implementation teams as part of the regular adult mental health review process undertaken each autumn.
	A copy of the National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services 200405 s available at the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/52/96/04115296.pdf or by contacting:
	DH Publications Orderline
	PO Box 777
	London
	SE1 6XH
	Tel: 0870 155 54 55

Midwives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many supervisors of midwives there have been in England in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: This information is not collected centrally.
	The Nursing and Midwifery Council collates statistics on the number of practising midwives per supervisor. This information is available on the Nursing and Midwifery Council's website at www.nmc-uk.org

Midwives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has issued on financial payments by NHS trusts to supervisors of midwives.

Liam Byrne: The NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook provides that employers may use their discretion, subject to partnership arrangements, to reward staff undertaking statutory, regulatory duties performed outside of those required by the job description and/or measured by the NHS Job Evaluation scheme.

Ministerial Meetings

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) maternity, (b) children's and (c) young people's organisations the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Services has met since his appointment.

Liam Byrne: I have met the following maternity, children's and young people's organisations:
	Alder Hey Children's Hospital
	Association of Children's Hospices
	Barnardo's Willow Young Carers project
	Bristol North Primary Care Trust
	Building Bridges (Liverpool)
	Christie Hospital (Manchester)
	Dual Diagnosis Team for Children with Learning Disability and Mental Health (Sheffield)
	Fathers Direct
	Gospel Oak Early Years Centre
	Great Ormond Street Hospital
	Hear Our Voice (Cornwall)
	I CAN
	Keepsafe Project (Bath)
	Leeds General Infirmary
	Liverpool Women's Hospital
	Maternity Alliance
	Mayday Trust
	NCH
	National Childbirth Trust
	North East London Strategic Health Authority
	Nottingham City Hospital
	Nottingham North West Sure Start
	On the Edge (Devon)
	On Track (Luton)
	Post-Natal Illness Support and Help Association (PIMi-SHA)
	Reframe Conduct Disorder Outreach Team (London)
	Royal Bolton Hospital
	Royal College of Anaesthetics
	Royal College of Midwives
	Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
	Royal College of Psychiatrists
	Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
	Rusholme Sure Start Children's Centre
	South East Sheffield Primary Care Trust
	Springfield Youth Club (London)
	The FRIENDS Programme (Bath)
	The JunctionColchester Mind
	Tower Hamlets Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (London)
	YoungMinds
	And the Donna Louise Trust in a personal capacity.
	In addition, I will be meeting the Children's Society in the new year.

Mobile Phone Masts

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been evaluated by her Department into the health effects of non-thermal pulsed microwave radiation associated with mobile telephone masts.

Caroline Flint: The independent expert group on mobile phones (IEGMP), under Sir William Stewart produced the Stewart Report in May 2000 and its principal conclusion in relation to exposures to radiofrequency radiation (RF) from base stations (masts) was that
	the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of the guidelines.
	A more recent report, 'Mobile Phones and Health 2004', reviewed measurements of exposures to radiofrequency radiation from masts (or base stations) made by Ofcom and by National Radiological Protection Board and noted that they were consistent with those available at the time of the Stewart Report 2000. These reports are available on the Health Protection Agency's website at www.hpa.org.uk/radiation
	It had been noted that concern had been expressed about exposures to pulsed fields. However, a 'Review of Scientific Evidence for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields' (0300 GHz) was published in 2004 (Docs NRPB Vol. 15 No. 3 2004) in support of its 'Advice to Government on Exposure Guidelines for EMFs'. This review included a consideration of possible biological effects of exposure to pulsed radiofrequency fields. Overall, no convincing and consistent evidence in support of low-level pulsed fields having detrimental effects was found.

Mobile Phone Masts

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans the Government have to undertake research into the health effects of non-thermal pulsed radiation associated with mobile telephone masts;
	(2)  whether her Department has (a) conducted and (b) commissioned research into the effects of non-thermal pulsed radiation associated with mobile telephone masts.

Caroline Flint: Mobile phone base stations and handsets comply with national and international guidelines that were introduced to prevent thermal effects from exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF). The guidelines have been based on extensive scientific reviews by the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and, in this country, the Health Protection Agency (HPA). This includes consideration of non-thermal effects in tissues and a variety of pulsed signals at the levels normally encountered from mobile phone technology in use today. Independent measurements near base stations (masts) have demonstrated that RF exposures are very much lower than the guidelines (www.ofcom.org.uk).
	In response to recommendations for continuing research, the mobile telecommunications and health research (MTHR) programme, jointly funded by Government and industry, has supported about 30 individual studies to investigate the potential health effects of RF exposures from mobile phone technology. A description of the programme and the individual studies is available on its website at www.mthr.org.uk The studies in the MTHR programme concentrate largely on the exposures from the mobile phone handsets because these exposures are considerably higher than those from base stations.
	Worldwide research is evaluated periodically by the WHO and the HPA's radiation protection division. The report, 'Mobile Phones and Health 2004', available on the HPA's website at www.hpa.org.uk/radiation, noted that there are continuing concerns about the impact of base stations on health and well-being
	despite the current evidence which shows that exposures of individuals are likely to be only a small fraction of those from phones.
	The report recommended
	studies focused on ascertaining the exposure of people to RF fields.
	In line with this recommendation, the MTHR programme is supporting a number of studies in relation to base stations.

National Carers Grant

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to maintain the National Carers Grant after 2008.

Liam Byrne: The comprehensive spending review (CSR) 2007 will set the Government's priorities for the longer term. It will examine what has already been achieved and should identify what further steps must now be taken, by undertaking a zero-based review of baseline expenditure.
	The National Carers Grant, along with other Department adult's social care specific grants, will be examined as part of the CSR 2007.
	CSR 2007 will cover the period between 2008 and 2011.

NHS Chemotherapy Budget

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total NHS chemotherapy budget was in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 16 January 2006
	This information is not held centrally. It is for individual primary care trusts to decide and allocate funding for chemotherapy in their area.

NHS Finance

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the projected financial out-turn for 200506 is for each of the NHS trusts in the West Midlands Government Office area.

Liam Byrne: The information requested on the financial outturn for 200506 for each of the national health service trusts in the West Midlands Government Office is provided in the table.
	The forecast outturn position for 200506, as submitted by NHS organisations at the mid-year point (month six), is available in the Library. Copies of this information is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/ClassesOfInformation/fs/en
	
		West Midlands government office area: NHS Trusts forecast outturn surplus/(deficit) as at month 6 200506
		
			 NHS Trust Name 000 
		
		
			 Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Trust 0 
			 Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 Birmingham Women's Health Care NHS Trust 0 
			 Burton Hospitals NHS Trust (1,200) 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0 
			 Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust 0 
			 George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (5,359) 
			 Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust (4,500) 
			 Hereford and Worcester Ambulance NHS Trust 0 
			 Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 0 
			 Mid Staffordshire Gen Hospitals NHS Trust 0 
			 North Staffs Combined HC NHS Trust 0 
			 Rob Jones and A Hunt Orthopaedic NHS Trust 0 
			 Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust (10,146) 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Hosps NHS Trust (5,100) 
			 Sandwell MH Social Care NHS Trust 0 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (10,000) 
			 South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Trust 0 
			 South Warwickshire Gen Hosps NHS Trust (1,851) 
			 Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0 
			 Univ Hosps Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 0 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust (18,147) 
			 Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust 0 
			 West Midlands Ambulance NHS Trust (1,100) 
			 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (3,794) 
			 Worcestershire MH Partnership NHS Trust 0 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures exclude foundation trusts.

NHS Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether slipping payment on pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions, as mentioned in her interview with the Health Service Journal on 19 January, is a method sanctioned by her Department for controlling deficits in NHS organisations; what discussions she has had with (a) strategic health authorities and (b) other NHS organisations regarding delaying payment; what the content of these discussions was; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Department's policy is that all national health service organisations should ensure that payments of pay-as-you-earn tax and national insurance contributions are made when they are due, or by the date agreed with the Inland Revenue. The issue has been discussed with all strategic health authorities and they have been reminded of the Department's policy. Where it has come to our attention that organisations are making specific proposals to delay payment, we have reminded them of the policy.

NHS Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2005, Official Report, column 1575W, on NHS finance, what the end-of-year financial position of the NHS in total was in each year since 199798.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 January 2006
	The year-end financial position of all national health service organisations, including NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities, is shown in the table for the period 199798 to 200405. In the year immediately before this period the deficit was 460 million.
	
		
			  Total Net (Deficit)/Surplus ( million) 
		
		
			 199798 (121) 
			 199899 (18) 
			 19992000 (129) 
			 200001 112 
			 200102 71 
			 200203 96 
			 200304 73 
			 200405 (256) 
		
	
	Note:
	The 200405 figures include foundation trusts.

NHS Finance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her written statement of 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 37WS, on NHS finance data, if she will place in the Library a copy of the latest in-year financial forecasts for each NHS trust, primary care trust and strategic health authority for 200506.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 30 January 2006
	The forecast outturn position for 200506, as submitted by national health service organisations (strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts) at the mid-year point (month six), is available in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/ClassesOfInformation/fs/en

NHS Finance

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the current overall national financial deficit of the NHS is; what the deficit is of each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust which has one; and what percentage of debt is (i) historical and (ii) recurring in each case;
	(2)  what account she has taken of the unexpected costs incurred by primary care trusts in implementing the Government's required changes to GP contracts and out of hour services in assessing the overall national NHS deficit; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what guidance she has issued to primary care trusts in the priority they should give to (a) repayment of debt and (b) delivery of services;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the effects of (a) short-term financial pressures on primary care trusts (PCTs) and (b) Government requirements on PCTs to address financial deficits on (i) patients and (ii) healthcare services; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  to what timescale a primary care trust in a financially balanced recurrent expenditure position but with an accrued historic budget deficit is required to repay that historic element.

Jane Kennedy: The net deficit for 200405 across the national health service was 256 million, which includes the financial outturn of NHS Foundation Trusts (NHSFTs). The forecast outturn position for 200506, as submitted by NHS organisations at the mid-year point, is a net deficit of around 620 million, excluding NHSFTs. The 200405 financial position and the 200506 forecast month six position for NHS organisations, excluding foundation trusts is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications /PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAnd GuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4119175chk= JuzTDZ.
	Overspending and underspending by NHS bodies is carried into the following year, as part of the carry forward regime. This is operated by the Department at strategic health authority level (SHA), and SHAs have the authority to determine how the regime operates for organisations within their health economy. For this reason we do not know how much of the carry forward was applied to individual organisations, so it is not possible to distinguish between historical and recurring deficits for primary care trusts (PCTs) and SHAs. For the purposes of comparison, the turnover and financial position for all SHAs and PCTs for each of the last two years, 200304 and 200405 has been placed in the Library.
	All NHS Trusts and PCTs should break even every year. Where an organisation has a historic deficit, the SHA can provide financial support to the organisations to allow them more time to break even whilst the recovery plan is implemented. SHAs have the responsibility for ensuring the organisations across its area are in financial balance every year, so to provide planned support to one organisation requires other NHS organisations within the health economy to underspend over the same period. Any such arrangements would have to be subject to the agreement of local providers, commissioners and the managing SHA.
	All NHS organisations have minimum standards of quality they must deliver, including targets for maximum waiting times. These are dramatically better than the standards of the NHS in the past and there can be no trade-off between these quality standards and removing deficits. All areas of the country have seen dramatic improvements in care, and all areas of the country will continue to see improvements. Going further in a specific hospital cannot be achieved if it is unaffordable. This would, in effect, be one part of the NHS spending the money of another part of the NHS to deliver a better service, which is unfair on the other parts of the country.
	The Department allocated PCTs 4.5 billion through primary medical services (PMEDS) funding arrangements in 200506, contributing towards the implementation of new general medical services (GMS) contract arrangements including out of hours and quality outcome framework (QOF) services for both GMS and personal medical services.
	The latest available data, which are still being validated, is for 200405. This data indicates that PCTs are having to manage overspends on allocations around the quality outcome framework (200 million) and out of hours (100 million). This has been offset by lower than expecting growth in other areas, such as hospital elective activity and prescribing expenditure.
	The NHS has received record increases in funding, and the majority of PCTs are delivering improved services as well as living within their budget. Where organisations are failing to do this it is due to poor management, so there is no need to sacrifice the delivery of the required standards and targets to deliver financial balance.

NHS Financial Deficits

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the year-end financial deficits of (a) Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Trust, (b) East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, (c) Medway NHS Trust, (d) Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, (e) Royal West Sussex NHS Trust and (f) Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust were in (i) 200203, (ii) 200304 and (iii) 200405; whether trusts which have failed to achieve breakeven or a surplus in three consecutive financial years are considered by her Department to have failed in their duty laid out in section 10 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990; what measures are put in place when a trust fails to achieve the duty laid out in section 10 of the 1990 Act; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 30 January 2006
	The year-end surplus/deficit position for the years 200203 through 200405 for the trusts is shown in the table.
	
		
			  000 
			  Final accounts surplus/(deficit) 
			 Organisation name 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Trust (916) (1,689) (1,049) 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust (1,450) (1,787) (4,983) 
			 Medway NHS Trust (967) 2,372 (279) 
			 Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust (24,784) (1,968) (946) 
			 The Royal West Sussex NHS Trust (1,349) (3,572) (15,483) 
			 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 2 (744) (3,490) 
		
	
	The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 sets out the breakeven duty for national health service trusts as a requirement to breakeven taking one financial year with another.
	In agreement with the Audit Commission and other audit bodies, this has been clarified by the NHS Finance Manual as a requirement to breakeven over a three-year period, starting from first year of deficit. This period can be extended by agreement with the local strategic health authority (SHA) for up to five years.
	Furthermore, the accumulated deficit at the end of the financial year must be material for the trust to be deemed to have failed to breakeven in that year. Material has been clarified as meaning greater than 0.5 per cent. of turnover.
	Using these criteria, Medway NHS Trust has achieved its breakeven duty in 200304 and 200405. Similarly, Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust achieved its breakeven duty in 200203 and 200304; its three-year breakeven duty period therefore commenced in 200405.
	The remaining four trusts have all agreed extended five-year recovery terms with their SHAs, and therefore none are in breach of their statutory duty to break-even taking one year with another.
	Compliance with the statutory duty to breakeven is inextricably linked to improving financial performance. Various measures are taken to improve this, the most recent being the announcement of the turnaround teams. Details of the turnaround team process, and the organisations covered is available on the Department' website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot?04/12/71/88/04127188.pdf.

NHS Financial Deficits

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely impact of financial deficits in primary care trusts on the achievement of Government targets.

Liam Byrne: All national health service organisations have minimum standards of quality they must deliver, including meeting targets for maximum waiting times. These are dramatically better than the standards of the NHS in the past and there can be no trade-off between these quality standards and removing deficits.

NHS Staff (Attacks)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many attacks on NHS staff have been recorded in (a) England, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested has not been collated centrally for the period 199799. Data outlining the estimated number of reported violent incidents collected by the Department for 200001, 200102, 200203 for each strategic health authority (SHA), national health service trust and primary care trust (PCT) in England has been placed in the Library.
	In April 2003, the NHS security management service (NHS SMS) was created and assumed responsibility for the issue of tackling violence against NHS staff. The NHS SMS has collected data on the number of physical assaults on NHS staff in England for the period 200405. The figure for assaults on staff who work in mental health or learning disabilities was 43,301. For the acute sector the figure was 11,482 and for the ambulance service the figure was 1,329. Figures on physical assaults in the primary care sector are currently being validated and will be released shortly.
	A breakdown of figures for each SHA, NHS trust and PCT in England for the year 200405 will be released shortly.

NHS Tariff Uplift

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2006, Official Report, column 1304W, on NHS tariff uplift, what the NHS tariff uplift (a) will be between 200506 and 200607 and (b) was between 200405 and 200506; and if she will provide a breakdown of the major components contributing to uplift between (i) 200506 and 200607 and (ii) 200405 and 200506.

Liam Byrne: The national health service tariff uplift will be 4 per cent. between 200506 and 200607. It was 5.3 per cent. between 200405 and 200506.
	A breakdown of the major components contributing to the uplift for these two periods is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  200506 (over 200405 baseline) 200607 (over 200506 baseline) 
			   million Percentage  million Percentage 
		
		
			 Baseline 45,214  49,806  
			  
			 Increase in pay and prices 
			 Pay 1,260 2.8 1,028 2.1 
			 Non-pay inflation (prices) 209 0.5 253 0.5 
			 Clinical negligence costs 135 0.3 141 0.3 
			 Secondary care drugs 213 0.5 287 0.6 
			 Revenue cost of capital 92 0.2 218 0.4 
			 Gross pay and price increase 1,908 4.2 1,926 3.9 
			 Efficiency savings -769 -1.7 -1,245 -2.5 
			 Net pay and price increase 1,140 2.5 681 1.4 
			  
			 Reform and quality 
			 Consultant contract 140 0.3 50 0.1 
			 NCCG reform 0 0.0 50 0.1 
			 Agenda for change 460 1.0 635 1.3 
			 NICE appraisals and clinical guidelines 389 0.9 291 0.6 
			 Investment in new capital 156 0.3 103 0.2 
			 Total reform and quality 1,145 2.5 1,129 2.3 
			 Implementation of the national programme for IT 0 0.0 163 0.3 
			 Technical adjustments 
			 Revaluation of NHS estate 115 0.3 0 0.0 
			 Total technical adjustments 115 0.3 0 0.0 
			  Overall 5.3 Overall 4.0

NHS Trusts (Invoices)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts (a) paid and (b) did not pay 95 per cent. of undisputed invoices within contract terms or 30 days where no terms have been agreed in the last period for which figures are available; and what the total value is of those invoices.

Liam Byrne: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The most recent period for which figures are available is as reported in the individual final accounts of national health service trusts for 200405.

Parkinson's Disease

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to ensure that general practitioners are adequately trained in the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Parkinson's disease; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Government do not specify the content of the general practitioner (GP) training curriculum. This is the job of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), which is the competent authority for postgraduate medical training in the United Kingdom. PMETB is an independent professional body.
	Regulations specify seven competencies which must be tested, and which the curriculum must therefore teach:
	factual medical knowledge sufficient to enable the doctor to perform the duties of a GP; the ability to apply factual medical knowledge to the management of problems presented by patients in general practice;
	effective communication, both orally and in writing;
	the ability to consult satisfactorily with general practice patients;
	the ability to review and critically analyze the practitioner's own working practices and to manage any necessary changes appropriately;
	clinical skills; and
	the ability to synthesize all of the above competencies and apply them appropriately in a general practice setting.
	GPs are expected therefore to learn in trailing the skills needed to deal with all their patients.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to answer questions (a) 28223 tabled on 14 November 2005 and (b) 29705 tabled on 11 November 2005 by the hon. Member for Yeovil.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 2 February 2006, Official Report, columns 71819W, and to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2636W.

Pension Liability

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of pension liability is for health sector workers.

Liam Byrne: The Government Actuary's Department has valued the total liabilities of the NHS Pension Scheme as at 31 March 2005 to be 127.9 billion. The NHS Pension Scheme covers staff directly employed in the national health service; staff employed in general practices; and, under specific direction from the Secretary of State for Health, staff employed in other organisations including health charities, universities, and other government departments who are engaged in healthcare related activities.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many NHS in-patient beds are available for the specialist treatment of those with post-traumatic stress disorder or related conditions.
	(2)  how many NHS in-patient beds are available for the specialist treatment of those with post-traumatic stress disorder and related conditions.

Rosie Winterton: holding answers 6 and 7 February 2006
	National health service beds are allocated to in-patients on the basis of clinical need, and beds are not set aside for the management of specific medical conditions.
	NHS organisations were given guidance on the management of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in primary and secondary care by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in March 2005. Local NHS organisations should review their existing clinical guidelines, care pathways and protocols in the treatment and management of PTSD in the light of this guidance, and revise them accordingly.
	The NICE guidance is available on its website at www.nice.org.uk/CG026NICEguideline This guidance should be used in conjunction with the national service framework for mental health, which is available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/07/72/09/04077209.pdf

Primary Care Trusts (Financial Deficits)

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts incurred financial deficits in (a) 200304 and (b) 200405; and how many she expects will be in deficit at the end of 200506.

Liam Byrne: In 200304, 41 primary care trusts (PCTs) posted a deficit. In 200405, 90 PCTs posted a deficit. 70 PCTs are forecasting a deficit for 200506 at month six.

Private Finance Initiative

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total capital sum is of each of the private finance initiative schemes over 10 million (a) in operation and (b) where the outline business case has been approved for which her Department is responsible; and what the (i) total optimism bias percentage, (ii) net value at commencement and (iii) amount of optimism bias for the public sector comparator is in respect of each scheme.

Jane Kennedy: Table 1 shows the capital value for all private finance initiative schemes over 10 million which are open. Table 2 shows the capital value for private finance initiative schemes which have reached financial close with work started on site or have advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union. All these schemes have an approved outlined business case.
	The requirement to make explicit quantified adjustments for optimism bias in business cases, complementing the risk analysis already undertaken, was announced by Treasury in January 2003 and is applicable to national health service schemes that reached the invitation to negotiate stage from April 2003. Schemes which applied optimism bias are indicated in Table 2. This information is only available for schemes above 25 million. To collect and collate percentages and amounts of optimism for all these schemes could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Strategic health authority  Scheme Capital value ( million) 
		
		
			 Kent and Medway Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 94 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust-Carlisle 67 
			 Thames Valley Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 45 
			 South East London Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 96 
			 West Yorkshire Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust 65 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (North Durham) 61 
			 Greater Manchester South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust 67 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust 158 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 64 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 87 
			 North Central London Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 54 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (Bishop Auckland) 48 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust 100 
			 West Yorkshire Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Teaching NHS Trust 47 
			 South East London King's Healthcare NHS Trust 76 
			 North West London Bromley Healthcare NHS Trust 118 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 22 
			 Thames Valley Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust 30 
			 North West London West Middlesex University Hospitals NHS Trust 60 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 122 
			 South West London St George's Hospital NHS Trust 46 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wilshire Gloucestershire Royal NHS Trust 32 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust 137 
			 North Central London University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 422 
			 South East London Queen Mary's hospital Sidcup 15 
			 Trent Queens Medical CentreNottingham University Hospital 17 
			 Surrey and Sussex West Sussex Health and Social Care 22 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare 28 
			 South East London Oxleas 11 
			 North East London North East London Mental Health 11 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country Northern Birmingham Mental Health 18 
			 South West Peninsula Cornwall Healthcare-Bodmin East London and The City Mental Health 10 
			 North East London Newham 15 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Luton and Dunstable 15 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Northumbria Healthcare-Wansbeck 18 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Royston, Buntingford and Bishop Stortford PCT 15 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals 13 
			 Northumberland, Tyne Wear Northumbria Healthcare-Hexham 29 
			 Surrey and Sussex Guildford and Waverley PCT-Farnham 29 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals-Chester-le-street 10 
			 South West Peninsula Mid Devon PCT-Tiverton 10 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley County Durham and Darlington Priority Services-West Park 16 
			 West Yorkshire Leeds Teaching Hospitals-Wharfedale 14 
			 Thames Valley Newbury and Community PCT 19 
			 North West London Brent PCT-Willesden 21 
			 South Yorkshire Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare 15 
			 West Yorkshire North Kirklees PCT 27 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country Sandwell and W Birmingham Hospitals-City Hospital 26 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			  Strategic health authority scheme  Scheme Capital value( million) 
		
		
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust-Walsgrave 379 
			 Trent Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 312 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust-Blackburn 110 
			 Thames Valley Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 134 
			 North East London Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 238 
			 North West London North West London Hospitals NHS Trust-Central Middlesex 69 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Avon and Western Wiltshire Mental Health NHS Trust 83 
			 Surrey and Sussex Brighton Health Care NHS Trust 36 
			 South East London Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 72 
			 West Yorkshire Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 265 
			 Greater Manchester Central Manchester Healthcare/Manchester Childrens Hospitals NHS Trusts 512 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 299 
			 Trent Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust (29)326 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust (29)193 
			 Thames Valley Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust (29)129 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Newcastle, Nrth Tyneside and Northumberland MH-Morpeth 32 
			 Thames Valley Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre 37 
			 North Central London The Whittington 32 
			 North East London Newham Healthcare 55 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire East Lancashire Hospitals-Burnley 30 
			 Dorset and Somerset Salisbury Health Care 24 
			 South West London Wandsworth PCT-Queen Mary's Roehampton 75 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Addenbrookes NHS Trust 76 
			 South Yorkshire Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 35 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight New Forest PCT-Lymington 36 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Daventry and South Northamptonshire PCT 28 
			 South West London Kingston Hospital 33 
			 Thames Valley Buckinghamshire Hospitals-Stoke Mandeville 47 
			 North East London Barts and The London NHS Trust (remaining Wave 1A) 1,128 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country University Hospital Birmingham/South Birmingham MH NHS Trust (29)696 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire, University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 391 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 574 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (29)64 
			 West Yorkshire Mid Yorkshire Hospitals-Wakefield 266 
			 Cheshire Merseyside St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust (29)380 
			 North West London North Middlesex Hospitals NHS Trust (29)108 
			 Essex Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust 186 
			 Greater Manchester Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trusts (29)190 
			 Greater Manchester Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust (29)115 
			 Essex Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust (29)216 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust (29)381 
			 North East London Whipps Cross Hospitals NHS Trust (29)328 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust (29)165 
			 Surrey and Sussex Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells/Invicta Community Care NHS Trusts (29)428 
			 South West Peninsula South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (29)341 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust (29)78 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Northamptonshire Healthcare 31 
			 Essex Brentwood, Billericay and Wickford PCT 26 
			 Dorset and Somerset Taunton and Somerset 18 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Selby and York PCT 24 
			 Essex Ipswich Hospital 35 
			 Essex South Essex Partnership 25 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley Langbaurgh PCT 40 
			 Trent Derbyshire Mental Health NHS Trust (Mental 29 Health batch scheme) 29 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire East Lincolnshire PCT (Mental Health batch scheme 25 
		
	
	(29) Optimism bias used

Sleep Disorders

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake into possible links between induced abortion and (i) sleep disorders and (ii) sleep disturbances; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 16 January 2006, Official Report, column 1054W.

Ward Closures

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital wards in England have been closed (a) permanently or (b) temporarily since 30 June 2005 due to financial constraints; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This is not information held centrally. These are operational matters for decision locally having regard to patients' needs.

Research Funding

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the amount of NHS research funding, broken down by disease area or type for each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		National health service research and development estimated spend by type
		
			  million 
			  200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Support for Science(30) 293 301 328 346 371 
			 NHS Priorities and Needs(31) 87 94 92 97 110 
			 National Programmes(32) 66 77 92 92 106 
			 Excess treatment costs(33) 3 3 2 4 4 
			 Total 449 475 514 539 591 
		
	
	(30) Funding allocated to the NHS to meet the NHS costs of hosting R and D supported by eligible external funders, such as the Medical Research Council and medical research charities.
	(31) Funding allocated to the NHS for R and D to meet the priorities and needs of the NHS.
	(32) R and D commissioned by the Department to meet the priorities and needs of the NHS.
	(33) Funding provided exceptionally to the NHS to defray the treatment costs of eligible R and D, normally met from patient care budgets.
	Details of individual projects supported by NHS research and development (R and D) funding can be found on the national research register on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/research

Retinal Screening

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make support available for the use of fundus cameras in opticians practices to provide convenient diabetes retinopathy screening for patients; and if she will make a statement

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 31 January 2006
	Capital funding of 27 million has been made available to buy digital cameras and related equipment for retinal screening. 5 million has been made available in 200304, 9.6 million in 200405 and 12.4 million in 200506. The capital has been apportioned on a population basis through strategic health authorities.
	Primary care trusts are responsible for implementing diabetic retinopathy screening to national standards as set out in Improvement, Expansion and Reform: the next three years, the planning and performance framework for 2003 to 2006 and diabetes national service framework delivery strategy. It is for local health services to decide how they want the programme to be delivered locally. At national level optometrists have played an important role on the national diabetic retinopathy screening project advisory group set up to steer the development of the programme.

School Nurses

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses there are in each strategic health authority area.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Number of school nurses in each strategic health authority area as at 30 September 2004
		
			 Headcount 
			  Qualified nurses working in school nursing  Of which qualified school nurses 
		
		
			 England 2,409 856 
			
			 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 83 26 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA 62 38 
			
			 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA 141 17 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 155 62 
			 Greater Manchester SHA 172 78 
			
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA 110 25 
			 South Yorkshire SHA 106 34 
			 West Yorkshire SHA 87 56 
			
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 106 25 
			 Trent SHA 124 13 
			
			 Birmingham and The Black Country SHA 84 54 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 62 35 
			 West Midlands South SHA 39 21 
			
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 85 42 
			 Essex SHA 95 28 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 6 1 
			
			 North Central London SHA 44 17 
			 North East London SHA 91 36 
			 North West London SHA 54 4 
			 South East London SHA 77 47 
			 South West London SHA 97 27 
			
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 59 9 
			 Kent and Medway SHA 49 25 
			 Surrey and Sussex SHA 131 57 
			 Thames Valley SHA 52 36 
			
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 124 7 
			 Dorset and Somerset SHA 43 2 
			 South West Peninsula SHA 71 34

Smoking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the average age at which people start smoking in England.

Caroline Flint: Data on smoking are available from the general household survey. We are able to provide estimates for 2003, of the average age at which people started smoking in England, using the results of the general household survey 2003. The raw data required to calculate the average at which people start smoking regularly are available to us up to 2003.
	The general household survey 2004 has recently been released (December 15 2005) and we are able to provide estimates of the age range people started smoking in England for 2004. The sample population for this survey is adults aged 16 and over.
	The available data for 2003 (average age) and 2004 (age ranges) are shown in the table.
	
		Average age started smoking regularly by sex, 2003, England
		
			  Years 
		
		
			 Male 16.7 
			 Female 17.6 
			 Total 17.1 
		
	
	Source:
	General Household Survey 2003. Office for National Statistics
	
		Age started smoking regularly by sex: England 2004Persons aged 16 and over who had ever smoked regularly
		
			 Percentage 
			 Age started smoking regularly Men Women All persons 
		
		
			 Under 16 42 35 38 
			 1617 26 28 27 
			 1819 16 18 17 
			 2024 11 12 11 
			 25 and over 5 7 6 
			 Weighted base (000's) = 100 per cent. 9,113 8,234 17,347 
			 Unweighted sample 3,195 2,948 6,143 
		
	
	Source:
	General Household Survey 2003. Office for National Statistics
	Further information on the General Household Survey is available at: www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5756.

Strategic Health Authorities

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of running strategic health authorities was in 200405, broken down by authority.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Running costs budgets for strategic health authorities in 200405
		
			 Strategic health authority  million 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 5.1 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 4.6 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 6.2 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 5.2 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 5.1 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 4.6 
			 Dorset and Somerset 5.3 
			 Essex 5.5 
			 Greater Manchester 5.2 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 4.6 
			 Kent and Medway 5.0 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 5.3 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 5.2 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 4.6 
			 North Central London 4.6 
			 North East London 4.9 
			 North West London 4.7 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 4.6 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 4.9 
			 South East London 4.7 
			 South West London 4.7 
			 South West Peninsula 4.6 
			 South Yorkshire 5.0 
			 Surrey and Sussex 5.1 
			 Thames Valley 5.2 
			 Trent 4.8 
			 West Midlands South 4.6 
			 West Yorkshire 5.1 
			 England 139.3

Suffolk Coastal Primary Care Trust

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the financial and management specialist team sent to Suffolk Coastal primary care trust is due to report its findings to her Department; and when those findings will be made public;
	(2)  which patient representative bodies the financial and management specialist team met during its visit to Suffolk Coastal primary care trust.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 February 2006
	Suffolk Coastal primary care trust (PCT) was subject to a baseline assessment exercise. The aim of this exercise is to ensure there is an agreed understanding of the local financial problem and that actions are in hand to address this. This involved the strategic health authority (SHA) and an assessment of the PCTs financial management.
	It is the responsibility of the PCT to work with stakeholders, including patient representative bodies and such discussions were outside the scope of the baseline line assessment.
	The PCT will then agree a tailored package of turnaround support with their SHA.
	A report from the Director of Finance of the Department on 25 January 2006 was released which gives the results of the assessments. Suffolk Coastal PCT was assessed as needing drive and focus to maintain their high priority to turnaround.